“All kinds” was the watchword of this pride day in Cherbourg. It was the Cherbourg branch of the LGBTI Normandy association (note: Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgender and Intersex), based in Caen, which organized this pride day. A first for the city of Cherbourg. No walk for the moment, it was complicated to organize for a first outing from Covid, specifies the association, but the first Cherbourg pride march should take place next year.
Make LGBTI people visible in society
This is the idea behind the protest: show that LGBTI people exist. For Noémie, who came with her friends, “It’s super important because there’s still a lot of homophobia,” explains the girl, “I don’t see why we should be discriminated against, actually.” Next door, Clémence adds: “It’s not something you choose, so it’s important to allow people to feel represented and then even for other people who don’t necessarily know about it, to learn more about the cause. and the different movements that make up this community.” For these young girls, it is therefore good for have visibility in all territories that we need a day of pride, “that we don’t have to go to Paris or big cities to be able to show off,” underlines Ondine who hopes well with her friends, that there will soon be a big pride march in Cherbourg.
Always rights to defend
Fabien Margo is part of the LGBTI association of Cherbourg which listens, supports, informs and helps anyone who needs it. If he finds that homosexuality is increasingly accepted in society, this is not the case for all identities. “You see it a lot more in people who are gendered or transitioning,” he says, “They are much more stigmatized.” For this volunteer, “there is still a lot of work to do” on representations of gender identities in society. Marriage for all, PMA, there has been progress but the association stresses it: “As long as there are rights to defend, we will be there!”
It is therefore to show itself and discuss these subjects with the Cherbourgeois that the association has set up its “village of pride” with CAAPS, Collective of Actions and Animations for Prevention in Sexual Health and “Cherboobs”, the roller derby team, an all-female and feminist sport, from Cherbourg. All hope to bring together many more people next year. Around 70 people attended for this premiere.