For the first time since 1977, the famous “pride march”, organized by the Inter-LGBT, takes place this Saturday, June 26 in Pantin, and not in Paris. That is to say, symbolically, in the suburbs, and in a working-class suburb, rather than in the capital which has become overpriced.
A way for the organization to stick as closely as possible to the daily reality of its members. “Our members do not live in a triplex in Paris,” pleads Matthieu Gatipon-Bachette, spokesperson for Inter-LGBT, who also sees “a means of promoting local initiatives”. What to rejoice Erwan Passey, president of Queer Pantin, for which there was a “need for recognition of people who live in the suburbs”. The city of Pantin, which had shown itself willing to organize the event on its territory, financially supports the project.
Convergence of struggles
But why this sudden interest? What explains why a tradition dating back more than forty years is changing course? For Matthieu Gatipon-Bachette, the health crisis, which has highlighted the glaring disparities between the situation of people in Seine-Saint-Denis, for example, and in the capital, has played a role. But not only: more deeply, this development is the sign of an increasingly greater consideration of other fights – called intersectionality – alongside the traditional fight against homophobia: feminism, transidentity, migrants and anti-racism, in particular. .
“Associations wanted us to be more present on issues of racism, the role of the police in particular,” confirms Matthieu Gatipon-Bachette. Issues that particularly affect people in the suburbs. Erwan Passey abounds: “This departure outside Paris is historic and creates a link between racialized people and gay life in Paris, which follows the evolution of the community towards more convergence of struggles. “
A more political pride
It must be said that the Inter-LGBT risked being overtaken in its periphery by other competing initiatives, tired of not being represented. In June 2019, students from Paris 8, members of the “Saint-Denis Ville au cœur” association, organized the first “Pride March” in the suburbs. This symbolic event is retraced in the documentary The First March, directed by Hakim Atoui and Baptiste Etchegaray.
Coordinator of this first “pride” of the suburbs, Youssef Belghmaidi welcomes the Inter-LGBT initiative in Pantin: “It seems to announce progress in a direction that we like,” she concedes. And in particular a more political aspect, she judges: “The minorities did not feel represented within the pride of the Inter-LGBT, there the undocumented ones and the workers of the sex are in the middle. call text. “
A “pleasant symbolism” for some, “a failed pledge” for others
Will organizing a pride march in the suburbs be enough to bring back the activists who had deserted the organization deemed too “white” and “masculine”? Not really, according to this elected official from Saint-Denis, who wished to remain anonymous: “Leaving Pantin is a joke, Pantin is anything but a popular city, it is clearly an umpteenth arrondissement of Paris, it is more the 11th than Barbès. If it’s to give a pledge, it’s failed. “
Neither according to Youssef Belghmaidi, who hopes that substantive work will be carried out. This member of Saint-Denis Ville au Cœur is nevertheless optimistic: “I think that the Inter-LGBT is ready to carry out this work. In the meantime, it is a pleasant symbolism and which gives hope. “
Departure: 1:30 p.m. from Église de Pantin metro station (line 5), arrival at Place de la République in Paris around 6 p.m. More information on the Inter-LGBT website.