A “pride” event is an event dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community and its fight for rights and ending the stigma surrounding the community – hence, the the name of “pride”. Pride parades are probably the most notorious kind of events – annual celebrations in many countries, taboo in others. While Romania has a very short history of pride events, Timisoara is going to host its first big event dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community between June 3rd-7th 2019: PRIDE Week TM.

Romanian Pride

The LGBTQ+ community does not have a history of being too visible in our country. Homosexuality was criminalised in Romanian in 1937, during the rule of Carol II and his authoritarian regime. The following episode in Romanian history, the communist regime, only made things worse.

Unfortunately, the communist regime has had echoes on many aspects of Romanian life for many years to come, including on how the LGBTQ+ community is seen. Homosexuality has finally been decriminalised in Romania in the 90s and since then, the community has been making small steps in being acknowledged and gaining equal rights. Pride events have been organised in big Romanian cities to bring awareness and spark some conversations on LGBTQ+ rights.

Timisoara PRIDE Week 2019

The first week of June will be marked by the first PRIDE Week in Timişoara, which aims to be a week dedicated to queer culture, a celebration of inclusion and art – theatre, music, conferences, etc. PRIDE Week TM is organised by Identity.Education, a partner of the “Timisoara 2021” program.

PRIDE TM will not include a pride parade – which is something many would expect from such an event. It will, however, include several events spread out across the week, bringing together members of the local and regional LGBTQ+ community, friends and allies:

Monday, 3rd of June, from 7pm, in the city centre (Opera House building): ”Personal views” – art exhibitions with works done by the local creative community for PRIDE TM

Tuesday, 4th of June, from 7pm, at Casa Artelor: ”Legal views” – a conference in partnership with MozaiQ about LGBTQI+ rights

Wednesday, 5th of June: from 6pm Hecate book launch at Cărtureşti Mercy and from 7:30pm an info bio show „At the Insitute of Change” produced by CNDB at the German Theatre

Thursday, 6th of June, from 7pm, at Ambasada: ”Storytelling as an element of change” conference in partnership with Decat O Revista and Accept

Friday, 7th of June, from 8pm, at Ambasada: the performative concert ”Songs & Ballads from Gay Herstory” by #FLUID, music by Armies and open wine bar.

Additional events will be organised by the local group eQuiVox – more details, here. Anyone who is interested and wants to know more about this community is welcome to the events. Through the events organised, PRIDE Week TM has one message: “we are all part of a larger diverse community of Timisoara”.

For more details about PRIDE Week TM and all the activities, check out the official Facebook event, here.