- October 2022
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Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay Earlier this month, a 19-year-old killed two people outside an LGBTQ bar in Bratislava, Slovakia's capital city. In a screed against queers, Jews and others, the alleged gunman noted that he was inspired by the Buffalo supermarket shooter.
Swell. Of all the things America has given the world, this European found inspiration in a white supremacist's murderous rampage on Blacks.
Couldn't he have become enthusiastic over a different American export? Like basketball? Or video games? Or Cheese Whiz?
- June 2022
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Europe saw the very worst and the very best of the Pride experience yesterday.
In Norway, a gunman killed two people and wounded 21 at a gay bar in the capital city of Oslo. The alleged shooter was a 42-year-old Norwegian citizen of Iranian origin. He's believed to be a radicalized Islamist with a history of mental illness, and had been on authorities' radar since 2015.
Apparently he fell plum off.
On the advice of police, the Pride parade was cancelled. But several thousand people marched spontaneously, waving rainbow flags and chanting in English, "We're here, we're queer, we won't disappear."
Kudos to them for their defiance. As to chanting in English, perhaps the sentiment isn't as catchy in Norwegian.
The prime minister and members of the royal family laid roses near the bar. Crown Prince Haakon told reporters, "We must protect the right in Norway to love whomever we want."
I'm an anti-royalist, but I feel a sudden urge to curtsy.
Over in the Polish capital city of Warsaw, thousands marched in the Equality Parade, reportedly the largest queer event in central Europe. Joining the Polish paraders were hundreds of Ukrainians, representing LGBTQ organizations from around that besieged nation.
The joint Pride was a marvelous show of queer solidarity across borders—and a reminder of what will happen to the Ukrainian LGBTQ community if the Kremlin wins this war.
Pride was born of struggle years ago in New York City. In Europe in 2022, there's still plenty of struggle to be had. If you attended a Pride this month and your greatest difficulty was choosing an outfit, please keep a thought for our compatriots, abroad and here in the States. We all hope for the day when, in every part of the world, a Pride struggle means nothing more taxing than trying to avoid your ex.
- October 2021
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- September 2021
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Photo by Ingo Joseph from PexelsGermany held national elections on Sunday, and two politicians from the Greens party made history. Tessa Ganserer and Nyke Slawik are the first transgender women to win seats in the German parliament.
Hitler would be horrified, and I'm reveling in that to the point of unseemliness.
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