On October 5, 6,7th we gather for three days of queer politics, performances, parties, actions, picnicking and visibility. To see each other and celebrate our own sexy resistance, to energise ourselves and hear each other’s stories of the revolution we all make everyday.
In October 2000 Serbia saw the end of the Milosevic regime, people took to the streets, parliament burned, Milosevic was kicked out, …it was the beginning of a new time of change, of hope. No more war, no more crazy nationalism, no more isolation; time to reconnect to the world, or so we thought.
Now in the late 2000’s we look about us, what has changed? A great deal!
We are a country in transition from “communism” to capitalism, we are called to join NATO, potential entry to the EU is joined with promises of human rights; the sweetener to make the opening of our country as a new market less bitter (not that we expect to get into the EU anytime soon!) These changes are not what we would have hoped for.
In the west, in the 60’ and 70’s America was the focus a sexual revolution, women’s liberation, feminism, free love… a society breaking out from the narrow conformity of a different post war generation. Gay liberation, Stonewall, black power, the women’s movement, the anti war Serbia saw the end of the Milosevic regime, people took to the streets, parliament burned, Milosevic was kicked out, …it was the beginning of a new time of change, of hope. No more war, no more crazy nationalism, no more isolation; time to reconnect to the world, or so we thought.
Now in the late 2000’s we look about us, what has changed? A great deal!
We are a country in transition from “communism” to capitalism, we are called to join NATO, potential entry to thmovement! People power!
And yet has patriarchy disappeared? Have sexism and homophobia ceased to exist? Are nationalism and war only crazy memories? Is racism something people look back on unable to imagine? We know for sure these things are still with us.
Somehow so much has changed; the currency of these ideas in society is the evidence. But something else that exists is the idea that its all over…that everyone will be equal under capitalism.
Trying to make sense of our merging stories we find ourselves talking across divides, of gender, of sexuality, of class, of race, of east and west: Trying to make sense of concepts and ideas transported from one place to another. Our stories are interwoven, now more than ever, but for many of us geographically, physically, mentally, in the realm of day-to-day living the divide are still there.
In the topics we present for discussion this year we seek to address this divide at another level. The topics: trans issues and sex work have enjoyed a recent popularity, but none of these debates has placed the topics within the context of a global movement…. of labour, of capital and the struggle across divides, of a world which sees borders rather than people.
Too many times we’ve been told that our wants, needs and desires can wait, that there are more urgent matters to attend to, that our struggles are not part of the main event. Enough! We say it again….the personal is political…all politics, all living is interconnected. Queer Beograd stand against homophobia, sexism, racism, nationalism and militarism. Time for a new sexual revolution.
Bring your stories, your hopes, your dreams, your desires, and your beautiful selves. Let’s see what is possible. Join us for this very sexy revolution…. Because we want a great deal! So, out of our closets and onto the streets. Let’s make it happen.