Béziers organizes its very first Pride March

How many will there really be marching through the streets of Béziers this Saturday at the start of the afternoon to support the cause of homosexuals and lesbians, bisexuals, transgenders and intersex people? They were 3,000 in Nîmes last July on the occasion of the very first Pride March (formerly Gay Pride). For several weeks, these demonstrations have multiplied in the South and everywhere in France. The proliferation of these marches is undoubtedly the sign of a real malaise, according to the associations at the initiative of this march. In Biterrois, the organizers are expecting half a thousand participants, but the rain could come and spoil the party.

“The defense of equality is a constant fight.” – Organizers

The event is organized by two young collectives, that of the feminist collages of Béziers and that of the popular youth of Biterrois. This gathering is intended to give better visibility to homosexual or bisexual people in particular, and also to claim freedom and equality of sexual orientations and gender identities.

”The malaise is great in Biterrois as elsewhere, explains Claire Bordeaux, member of the collective La jeunesse populaire du Biterrois. All of Occitania is beginning to see this kind of market emerge: Nîmes, Perpignan, Rodez, Mende to name but a few. This is the sign of a real malaise.” – Claire Bordeaux, member of the popular youth collective of Biterrois

There are many claims : opening of PMA to transgender people, forgotten by the 2021 bioethics law; fight against homophobic and transphobic violence in public and private spaces; acceleration of vaccination against monkeypox, or even for the right to abortion to be enshrined in the Constitution.

“Walking for the development of the rights of people discriminated against for their sexual orientation, skin color, or disability” – Claire Bordeaux

“We demand more rights, more tolerance for these people. Social injustice affects all communities”– Clare Bordeaux

The rally is scheduled for this Saturday at 2 p.m. in front of the Béziers theatre. The procession will then take the direction of the town hall before a supervised stroll through the heart of the city. The organizers intend to repeat this march next year.