On June 28th, 1969 the Stonewall Riots kicked off a larger gay rights movement in the USA.
In 1970, the first gay pride marches took place in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago – today pride parades are taking place all around the world.
In 2018, I wanted to know who the people organizing today’s pride parades are, what the marches mean to them, and met wonderfully powerful, loving and kind people from places, which might not be the first ones that come to mind, when we think of queer love.
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Julia Maciocha – WARSAW PRIDE
What’s your name and age? Hi! My name is Julia Maciocha and I’m 24 yo.
Since when have you been involved with Parada Równości? I’m in Parada Równości/ Equality Parade Team since 4 years. At first I was a volunteer, then coordinator of volunteers, since two years I’m the president of the foundation which is organizing the march and party.
Why do you think Parada Równości is important? For me, it’s important because it’s gathering many minorities, not only LGBTQ people. We have 13 demands and more and more people are joining the parade because they feel this is their celebration too. It’s only one day in Warsaw when people can wear rainbow, hold hands and be protected by the police. It’s like a big breath that we have to hold for one year.
What is one (or two) remarkable thing(s) that has/have happened at Parada Równości? This year our founder Szymon Niemiec, who organized the first Equality Parades from 2001 on, proposed to his partner at the beginning of the march. It was very emotional moment!
What do you do when you are not organizing Parada Równości? As my work for Parada Równosci is as a volunteer I have to work to have something to eat 😉 I’m working for Feminoteka Foundation which is a NGO focusing on helping women who have experienced violence.
Also I was studying, two days before this year’s Parade I was defending my master thesis so this year was quite intense 🙂 But now I’m a master in the protection of wild animals.
What do you like to do in your free time? Free time? What’s that? Haha! I barely have time for my family, not to mention myself. If I’m visiting my Mom I’m spending time in the woods with my dog – it’s really calming me down. When I’m in Warsaw I’m trying to spend as much time as I can with my friends. My family and friends are always laughing that it’s easier to meet with the pope than with me 😉
Is there something you would like to say to the rest of the LGBT+ community? Please stop pushing other people back in the closets. We all spent too much time there already. Trans people, bi people, drag queens – we are all one big family. Embrace and be proud of your LGBTQ+ community, your LGBTQ+ history, your LGBTQ+ culture.
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Not different, just love
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