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One of the organizers, Miglė Šarakauskaitė, called the march, which was attended by around 500 people, in protest. Their goal is to address the challenges facing the community. The demonstration identifies specific goals that the LGBTQ + community pursues in Lithuania.
“So that transgender people can change their name and gender. For same-sex people to adopt, marry and form a civil society. To eliminate the provisions of the Law on the Protection of Minors that promote discrimination, “states the objectives of the community. These demands were also voiced out loud to the Seimas.
Photo by Valdas Kopūstas / 15-minute photo / LGBT march for equality in Vilnius
“We exist. We know who we are and we love it. We are not afraid of homophobes and traphophobes,” were the speeches delivered here.
Political and commercial advertising: unexpected
M.Šarakauskaitė points out that one of the objectives of this protest is also to fight against LGBTQ + identities suppressionBecause companies often use various social movements as an advertising opportunity. Therefore, neither political nor commercial publicity was expected during the march.
She says it is not enough to change the logo once a year or participate in a march.
“We need to fight discrimination, guarantee equal opportunities, equal rights within and outside institutions, within companies, and take concrete measures to guarantee equality for all,” he said. Therefore, this event also aims to highlight community issues and not provide a platform for advertising.
Photo by Valdas Kopūstas / 15-minute photo / LGBT march for equality in Vilnius
Demonstration needed now because freedom is fragile
Friedrich Mireck, another organizer of the march, noted that events abroad and the pandemic have shown that it is now more necessary than ever to go outside and talk about community issues. Because the rights of its members are not guaranteed and the rights they have are very fragile.
“In foreign countries, we note how fragile that freedom is. How easy it is to lose it. In Hungary, for example, gender reassignment is prohibited. In the United States, medical discrimination against people of other sexual orientations is legal,” he says.
He says he is glad that he decided to contribute to the organization of the event. Although this is not a comfortable or very safe position in Lithuania.
“It is important for me to be visible in this political and social context.
Right now, it’s important to talk about which LGBTQ + community is vulnerable. I want to go and say that we still have a long way to go. We will prove it. We already exist and the fact that you have not seen us before does not mean that we have not, “says the guy.
Between the participants and the politicians.
Many members of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party, including MP Algirdas Sysas, also participated in the march.
“We know what we stand for, those problems are not imported, they are ours and finally we dare to fight for our beliefs and we see that those generations that we think they do not support are indifferent, they also support and go together,” BNS said Vaida Baranovė, a candidate for the Seimas with the LSDP list.
“As the situation is as it is, we will march as long as necessary and fight for rights here, in Seimas and where requested,” he said.
People gathered throughout the march were accompanied by police forces, and police cars drove in front of the march.
Mostly supportive, but there were also anti-protesters.
People of different ages, adorned with attributes of different colors, gathered for the march. Some say they didn’t put in much effort, others even dyed their hair specifically.
Aiden, 23, sees the march as a way to educate, as it brings together many people who are not members of the LGBTQ + community but who want to learn about them. Therefore, coming is important.
Photo by Valdas Kopūstas / 15-minute photo / LGBT march for equality in Vilnius
Another participant in the march, Darija, says that she has come because Lithuania, although it wants to be a progressive state, not all citizens are equal.
“I came to protest that people would see us and know we were here,” says the girl.
She says she is a bisexual girl. Although he has not yet experienced very obvious hatred, it is hard to know that if he falls in love with a woman and wants to marry her, he will not be able to do so legally in Lithuania. “Such a barrier, because the state thinks I am not a full-fledged person.”
Photo by Valdas Kopūstas / 15-minute photo / LGBT march for equality in Vilnius
The girl does not talk too openly about sexual orientation because she is still scared. Even here, these so far from the crowd are not safe, he says, because someone can conclude with uncensored words or even hit them.
It is true, even before the march began, several anti-protesters also appeared in the Plaza de la Catedral. They carried signs saying, “Don’t let families cut themselves off.” “Stop being stupid because of the presence of idleness.” But he remained at peace and quite apart. Passers-by were encouraged not to be afraid to take photos of them, to get closer.
Photo by Valdas Kopūstas / 15-minute photo / LGBT march for equality in Vilnius
The event is organized by a civil society initiative organized by a group of people belonging to the LGBTQ + community. We do not represent any organization or political party, and we do not seek to represent the entire LGBTQ + community; we simply invite people to represent themselves and their communities on the march.
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