Marshals in the Prague Pride parade. Whom we chose to honor with the title this time?
- Hynek Toman
Last year we had marshals at the Prague Pride for the first time – personalities who were awarded that title as a recognition for their work for the LGBT community and for their being an inspiration and role models for others.
We borrowed the idea from the Pride parades in the Western countries, especially in the U.S., where the term `marshal` is used to describe the most significant participants. To ride a float under that title is the highest form of recognition that an LGBT activist can expect. The 'marshal' title is bestowed on those who have made substantial contributions in the struggle for equal LGBT rights and for the development of LGBT communities. The public recognition for such people is a celebration of their work and efforts.
The marshals to lead the Prague Pride parade are selected by the leadership of the Prague Pride association. This time we have chosen three important names in the Czech LGBT movement. Each of them has had a different kind of contribution to the community, and we consider extremely important the efforts of each one. Hail to the marshals, they deserve it!
Marshal for lifetime LGBT community achievement: Jiri Hromada
On the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, we are trying to show at this year’s festival how much effort was needed in the struggle for LGBT rights and who took part. It is therefore hard to imagine anyone more suited for the role of lifetime achievement marshal than Jiri Hromada. This is how we want to thank him in the name of all LGBT people in the Czech Republic, who live better lives today thanks to his personal story, his struggle and his energy.
In February 1990 Jiri Hromada was the co-founder of Hnutí za rovnoprávnost homosexuálních občanů (Movement for the equality of the homosexual citizens). In 1991-2000 he was the chairman of the Sdružení organizací homosexuálních občanů SOHO (Association of the organizations of homosexual citizens, SOHO). (It was an umbrella organization for 40 regional organizations – where are they now?). SOHO then became Gay iniciativa (Gay initiative), which Jiri led until 2006. Jiri was the driving force behind the passing of the Registered Partnership bill in 2006 and was the first publicly gay person we all knew about in the Czech Republic.
Marshal for publicly representative LGBT personalities: Karla Slechtova
We appreciate a lot her active support for the marriage equality bill, her way of not only speaking about herself as a lesbian, but also using debates to shatter stereotypes and fabrications about LGBT people uttered by other members of parliament. Her public appearance at the rostrum of the Czech parliament, in front of MPs and journalists, with a rainbow shawl, is something that the Czech Republic can’t have enough of, in terms of public figures coming out.
Karla Slechtova began her career in Brussels, then worked for the Deloitte company in Prague. After several years at the ministry for local development she became its chief in 2014. Then she became defense minister. She is now a member of the Czech parliament and actively promotes LGBT rights.
Marshal for LGBT community work: David Tiser
We consider the cooperation across the LGBT community to be the actual goal of the Prague Pride festival, and our duty to those who started the LGBT equal rights struggle. In his work and in his person David connects the LGBT and Roma minorities. We treasure his work, which enhances the visibility of the LGBT Roma people and shows that the gay people in the Czech Republic hold dearly values like solidarity, understanding and mutual respect.
David Tiser is the first Roma LGBT activist in the Czech Republic. Six years ago, he founded the ARA ART society, which is focused on the theater of the repressed, organizing exhibitions by Roma artists and the Prague celebrations of the World Roma Day. Thanks to David, the Roma float became part of the Prague Pride parade. The Charta 77 foundation awarded him this year the prestigious Frantisek Kriegl Prize for the rights of Roma, homeless and socially excluded people.
