Pride, and terrorism do not stop us now!
It was with great horror we woke up and read the news on the morning of the Pride parade. This was one significant event since we celebrated 50 years of freedom. A man had the night to Saturday gone crazy with a shotgun, killing two people and injuring around 20 others outside a well-known gay bar in Oslo.
The week leading up to the Parade
The morning of the day, so many people had been waiting. I woke up to the news that a shooting had occurred outside London Pub in Oslo. Oslo had been decorated with the rainbow flag everywhere the whole week, like the Town hall above. I had started my blog post for Pride and had gone around town to make pictures that should be enclosed. I was going to take some fantastic photos of the actual Parade and show the joy and commitment of people still fighting for equality.
50 years of freedom
On April 21th, 1972, the government of Norway repealed the so-called “gay paragraph” § 213. This was a big step in the right direction for freedom. Getting the government to do this change in the low had been a long struggle for a few brave pioneers. One person I will mention here is Kim Friele. Since the law only says men, women were not criminalized for having sex with other women. Therefore, she could show her face and lobby for politicians. She was on TV talking about homosexuality, which was all about love and not just sex. She was a well-spoken but also a provocative person to be confronted. Norway’s gay and queer community should honor the late Kim forever.
Lovlig skeivt ( legally queer)
The week leading up to the Parade is filled with exhibitions, talks, concerts, and the usual Pride park. On Thursday evening, the government and the major of Oslo invited us into the big hall in Oslo Town hall. The concert was named Lovlig skeivt, and it was shown on TV. The Prime minister and Major were there, together with the Oslo Fagott choir and many other queer artists. They had put together a lovely program and invited for drinks and snacks afterward. My friend and I had a wonderful time here.
Are we naive?
All week, I had been so proud and happy about how far I thought we had come in human equality and acceptance of differences. We like to think Norway is one of the most accessible countries for queer people to live in. Couples of same-sex can merry, they can adopt children. We are protected from discrimination; in general, many things are good. This year, as before, the discussion comes up if it is essential to have Pride. We have all the rights we should need, and what about straight people? They don’t have any parades.
The night of horror
The fact is that a man came around one o clock in the morning and started shooting outside some pubs in Oslo. The rainbow flags were everywhere, and it seemed he was aiming for London pub, a well-known gay pub in Oslo. He managed to kill two people and injured at least 20 people. One of the doorkeepers at the pub managed to disarm the man and held him down until the police came. Since I was not present, it is difficult to imagine how horrible this experience must have been. This was not supposed to happen here in little Oslo.
Police canceling the Parade
We were a few friends going to meet for a drink and, afterward, go and watch the Parade. Early in the morning, police canceled the Parade because of security measures. Therefore my friends and I got together at a friend’s house and anticipated a spontaneous local Pride parade.
To feel the warmth
Even though police had canceled the Parade, many people meant that now, more than ever, it was essential to show that we were standing together. They made a parade from the original starting point and ended up by London Pub. Later, I went down to put down some flowers and see the sight. They had been here from the government and the royal family to show their respect. Seeing how many had paid their tribute to the dead was very lovely.
