We are all people, and as such we deserve respect, freedom and equal rights. The general idea of making worldwide parades for LGBTIQ people is to demonstrate pride of our own sexuality and identity. The parade is a celebration of this difference and a challenge for general tolerance.

We invite you to attend Queer Parade Brno 2010: let us become part of rich multicultural world without fear and discrimination.

 

What is Queer Parade?

Queer Parade Brno 2010 includes the queer parade and the preceding month of activities to support the rights of the LGBTIQ minority and other disadvantaged groups. This call for tolerance and societal respect joins a long tradition of gay pride parades all over the world, Easter European cities not being an exception.


What does LGBTIQ stand for?

This abbreviation designates lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and sometimes intersexual and queer people. Q letter covers asexual people too. In some cases, only parts of the word are used.

What rights LGBTIQ people strive for?

Lesbians,gays and transgender people strive for the same rights as other people have. They fight discrimination against any person due to sex, gender, or sexuality, and advocate for legal change.

Why do it this way? Is there no other option?

The parade is a way to call attention to the existence of sexual minorities, which have been discriminated against for a long time. Even though Czech Republic has adopted the 2006 Registered Partnership Act and boasts of great social tolerance, gays, lesbians, transsexuals and other people who have a different sexual orientation are facing discrimination and social prejudice both in professional as well as private life.

Where does the parade come from?

The tradition of rainbow parades, gay prides, qay parades and queer parades organized in all major cities in Europe and worldwide (in Europe, Krakow, Warszawa, Moscow, Tallin and Ljubljana joined London, Berlin, Wien, Barcelona, etc.) originated in 1970s in the U.S.A. The first parade was a reminder of the Stonewalls riots, in which a group of men rebelled against the police after a raid on gay bar in New York City in June 1969. The following year, the Gay Liberation Front organized the "Christopher Street Gay Liberation Day March" on June 28, 1970 to commemorate the first anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion. First year anniversary marches organized by other groups were also held in San Francisco and Los Angeles in 1970. These first parades are generally considered to be the beginning of the modern gay rights movement (which was part of a wider movement for human rights, women rights, etc.). Gradually, the tradition spread around the world and it took on new meanings, symbols and goals.

Why “rainbow” flag and symbols?

Rainbow and the rainbow flag is the sign of LGBTIQ pride. It was designed by American Gilbert Baker, for Queer Parade in San Francisco city in 1978. The rainbow flag soon became popular and expanded to the whole world. Its most widely used version is the one with six stripes of different coulours (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple) that symbolize variety, difference and richness of LGBTIQ community

 

Can I go to the parade even if I am heterosexual?

Yes. We invite all of you who want to have fun and support the idea of the equal opportunities for everyone without prejudice against sexual orientation.

Why don´t heterosexuals have their own parade?

Because they do not need it. Generally, all people are assumed to be heterosexual, heterosexuality is a norm from which LGBTIQ people differ. That is why we stress minorities rather than  the-always-visible majority. Heterosexuals are not discriminated against: on the contrary, they have advantages which lesbians and gays cannot use (the possibility of full-value marriage or parenting with the person you love).