The subject about sexuality is always stirring – often love needs to overcome some obstacles, in order to work. People’s experience show that love is a sexual attraction, that it cannot be limited to only one sex, by the social status, or by the borders of different countries. Since ancient times, wars have been fought about the right and freedom to express your feelings and to declare them in front of the whole world. The collision between the desire to be free in love and the imposed societal norms has been used by the masters of some of the greatest masterpieces in literature and art. Regarding the held not too long ago Gay Parade in Athens and the one, which is expected to take place in Sofia, Marina Nikolova sought to find some love answers from an activist from the lesbian group in Athens – Erotophili Diamandopoulos.

How did the Athens Gay Parade go? Are you satisfied? Were there a lot of people?

I would like to note that Athens Pride took place in Athens, on Klavtmonos square on June 13^th under the motto 100% Equality. Due to historic reasons I have to mention that during the 80’s some festivals were organized, which were similar to the Pride one - on the Strefi hill and in Ares park, which were organized by the transvestite Paola. They were not a parade, as it is now, no political organizations were present, there was no music program or a procession in the center of Athens.

This year is very special because it is the 40 year anniversary since the Stonewall riots in New York. In June 1969, transvestites, lesbians and gays demonstrated for the first time against the trampling upon their rights to express their love. Since then, every year there are “pride” demonstrations all over the world, which remind of the so called Stonewall events.

Every year, more and more people gather on Klavtmonos square and this year more than 5000 people took part in the procession. I think next year they should allow us to go to Constitution square! We are a lot!

During the Gay Parade in Sofia there are many opposing demonstrations and the police needs to protect all participants. Were there actions against the parade here? Maybe you should not care about the ones, who do not accept you and they should not care so much about the parades?

Things are still harder in Sofia. The first Gay Parade was organized there last year but there were many provocation attempts and the parade had to be protected by the police. This year, a group from Greece will go to Sofia, in order to support the Sofia Gay Parade, which will take place on June 27^th – Saturday. We want it to be known that we have the right to demonstrate freely our choices. It is clear from now, that many right wings organizations from all over the Balkans will gather, in order to try and stop this demonstration. But they will not succeed. We have to fight for our rights everywhere.

In Greece, the right wing organizations also reacted negatively last year. When we passed under their offices, they started throwing eggs and yogurt. We do not deal with them. They pray and do not want us to exist. But we also need to answer every time they try to stop our freedom of expression. Lesbians, gays, amphisexuals, and transsexuals exist and even during the Second World War, when they try to destroy us, they couldn’t…