Oftentimes we tend to forget about social movements going on outside of the United States; the fight for gay rights is happening all over the world, and recently there has been a small yet substantial victory for those fighting for equality in Serbia.
In a march lasting only several hundred meters, gay rights activists waving rainbow flags marched peacefully down the streets of downtown Belgrade. This was the first event of this nature since 2010 when extremist right-wing groups attacked a pride march, leaving over a hundred people injured. Following those horrific crimes, authorities in Serbia banned pride events for security reasons. At this year’s event, riot police stood by for protection, and only a few conflicts arose during and after the march, leaving the day’s affairs substantially more successful compared to the last event.
The important thing to recognize is the message that these activists were displaying. They were not discouraged by fear or by hateful language, but they instead spread love through the streets. This was the first Gay Pride Parade in Serbia in four years, but it won’t be the last.
I admire the perseverance of the LGBTQ community and their allies entirely. We can start to see lasting change when we as a community can stand up to the close-minded and can start spreading love to the people that are against whatever the cause may be. We should all strive to be as strong as these activists when it comes to standing up for what we believe to be true.