“We are very proud to dare to come together this year for the first pride march in the Dordogne”, announces Maryse Gnahoui, law student and representative of the collective Fier.es ensemble Dordogne, guest of France Bleu Périgord on Tuesday March 29. This group will organize the first “gay pride” of the department on June 4, in Périgueux. An event that is already held in most cities in France. “Speech took a little longer to break free in rural areas”explains the student. “It was lacking in the department, we had to go to bigger cities to participate.”
This kind of march must allow LGBTQIA+ people (lesbians, gays, bisexuals, trans, queers, intersex and asexuals) to be more visible on the territoryand to raise awareness of the discrimination they face. “If there has never been a march, it’s as if there were no LGBTQIA+ people, although there are quite a few of us”continues Maryse Gnahoui. “So it’s a first way to make us known, to give a better image of the group we represent. This march is open to all those who want to defend and show more solidarity with LGBTQIA + people. We will have surely a float, there will also be music, a bit of techno!”
“We still have to hide today”
This first pride march in the Dordogne is also an important symbol for Maryse Gnahoui. “It’s a very good sign, it brings hope that in rural areas we are trying to organize more marches”she says. “The big cities already have an audience, but in rural areas we also need to feel accepted and integrated.” Because according to the collective Fier.es together Dordogne, the acceptance of homosexual people takes longer in rural areas. “We still have to hide today”describes the student. “I have homosexual friends who hold hands and who are insulted on the edge of the Green Lane, for example. We want to help mentalities to be much more open.”
“Most LGBTQIA+ prefer to go to a big city to live freely”continues Maryse Gnahoui. “Here, there is a more traditional family framework, sometimes also more Catholic, which does not allow us to assume our sexual orientation.” The representative of the Fier.es ensemble Dordogne collective also deplores the lack of suitable structures to welcome LGBTQIA+ people who are victims of discrimination. “There are very few grants for associations or collectives that deal with LGBTQIA+ personalities so we are not very visible”she explains. “We need more support, because we are much more likely to hear about Péri’Meuh than the next pride march!”