Istanbul Pride as alluded to on their website, it more about
rights than it is about an excuse to have a party; unlike Boston and other
North American Prides, Istanbul pride is a more of a political march, not a bunch of
groups with cheery floats and costumes. No one gave away candy, there were no feel-good church groups, and very few people cheered from the sidelines. There were no families to
speak of - except for the ones who accidentally found themselves at the march, and they seemed to try to get out of the fray fairly quickly. Those who showed up for
the event were *in* the march. And few people were wearing, what I term, “pridewear” – no rainbows or Ptown hats or HRC
logos or Smith or Hampshire shirts. Just
a bunch of people with signs, marching and chanting.
They began at one end of Istiklal Street and marched to the other. While the police were out in force (with shields and the other tools one needs to disperse a mob), people paid little attention; the police had been there several days before for a protest related to Syria and earlier that day for a march by a Turkish communist group.
It was great to see and a good reminder that in many places Pride isn't just another city festival where politicians shake hands and companies set up booths to hawk their vacation homes and car rentals. Instead it's an occasion where a community comes together to become visible and raise awareness about what they don't yet have.
(Advertising for one of the affiliated events.)
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