LGBT community to do without parade this year as well

The LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people) community in Moldova gave up staging the sexual minorities' parade this year as well in order to avoid clashes with counter-protesters. Anastasia Danilov, executive director of the Information Center “Genderdoc-M”, told a news conference on May 3 that the tenth festival of the LesBiGay community “Rainbow over the Nistru”will start on May 5 and will last for three days. The program includes laying of flowers, conferences, contests and possibly a flashmob meeting, Info-Prim Neo reports. Anastasia Danilova said flowers will be laid at the Monument to the Victims of Repression to remember the gays and lesbians who were tortured and killed by different regimes in different historical periods. During the opening of the festival, the most tolerant people of the country who contributed actively to developing the movement of the LGBT community will be awarded. A concert involving national singers will be given in the evening. Angela Frolov, coordinator of the program “Lobby and Advocacy”, said a conference will be held on May 6 to discuss the situation of the sexual minorities in Moldova and the possibilities of defending the rights of the LGBT community as well the necessity of adopting a law on the prevention and combating of discrimination in Moldova. There will be presented a report on the cases of discrimination and the results of an LGBT questionnaire concerning the violation of sexual minorities' rights. “Genderdoc-M” director Alexei Marcicov said the traditional Pride House that will include two workshops will be inaugurated the third day. The first workshop will center on the settlement of conflicts between parents and children on the basis of the support program devised by “Genderdoc-M” and the group of support for parents of lesbians and gays. During the second workshop, the participants will familiarize themselves with art therapy. Alexei Marcicov said the journalists will have access to the nocturnal events that will take place as part of the three-day festival, but they will not be allowed to take photo and video cameras with them. In 2008, the counter-protesters hindered the LGBT parade by not allowing the participants to go out of their bus. The next years, the LGBT community abandoned the parade.