The 2024 Motto
Munich Pride has chosen its 2024 motto! It was already clear in January what it had to be about this year: the fight against the right. On June 22, we will take to the streets with the motto "United in diversity - together against the right". In doing so, we are taking a stand against the shift to the right in our country. Why are we doing this?
At the latest since the research by the investigative team Correctiv, everyone has realized: Our democracy is in danger. Right-wing forces, above all the AfD, are denying us dignity, freedom and a self-determined life. Now there is widespread protest. People are taking to the streets and standing up for the free and democratic order. This summer, Munich Pride will do the same - together with all open parts of Munich's civil society.
Queer people quickly sense the threat
The Munich LGBTIQ* community had already decided at its queer networking meeting in January to shake people in Germany awake with a clear statement against the right. The prospects of a breakthrough for right-wing parties in the European elections this year, the hatred and violence against queer people simply left us no other choice. This was apparent long before Correctiv's reporting.
"As a vulnerable group, queer people quickly sense when life and freedom are threatened," says Thomas Niederbühl, Rosa Liste city councillor and our political spokesperson. That is why it is so important to stand together, both with civil society and within the community. "Every attack on a part of our community is an attack on our queer community as a whole and therefore on each and every one of us."
Trans- and homophobia are not trivial offenses
In fact, the right-wing agitation against LGBTIQ* in general and against the Self-Determination Act in particular has long been reflected in the violence statistics of an organization like Strong!, the LGBTIQ* organization against discrimination and violence in Bavaria. Last year, Munich Pride already reported on the consequences of growing trans* and homophobia. A total of 2023 at Strong! reported 230 incidents - that's 71 more than in the previous year. The number of unreported cases is likely to be significantly higher. The statistics show that these are not "everyday incidents", but cases of hate crime that often leave those affected with fears and doubts and also lead to uncertainty among acquaintances or in the community. You may have experienced something like this yourself or heard about it from others. This must stop.
Diversity is our strength
Munich Pride had received various suggestions for a motto over the past few weeks. The phrase that has now prevailed comes from LesCommunity, the supporting association of the lesbian advice center LeTRa, among others. "The right-wing propaganda tries to force people into categories and propagate a supposed norm that is considered the only valid one. But our strength lies in our diversity!" says Julia Bomsdorf from LesCommunity. "For us, democracy means the free development and self-determination of every person."
