In response to the statements made by EHGAM Bilbao regarding the inauguration of
a hotel on the Marzana Wharf in Bilbao and those referring to Bilbao Bizkaia HARRO
(BBHARRO) as a “plan designed to promote tourism”, and that “passes as a
“a steamroller on the needs and opinions of the local LGBTI+ community,” Ortzadar LGBT
Elkartea, as the organizing association of Bilbao Bizkaia HARRO, wishes to convey the following
considerations:
1)-Bilbao Bizkaia HARRO was born eleven years ago as Pride of our
Territory, with the aim of being a social initiative to claim that the
LGBTI+ rights must be on the social agenda,
institutional and media. This is an initiative that complements others
that already existed and that together have been more than relevant in the fight against
hate speech that is trying to impose itself with increasing force.
2)-That the format of awareness-raising and fighting for freedoms through which
We are betting, comparable to other Pride events in Europe and the world, has shown
its advocacy strength and social impact for the advancement of human rights
LGBTI+ community. We want to remind everyone that Bilbao-Bizkaia Pride has
It has gone from bringing together 10,000 people in its first edition (2015) to bringing together
50,000 in the last edition in 2024. This reception demonstrates that the group
LGBTI+ highly values these types of cultural and leisure initiatives and
protests in which people of all ages participate.
Furthermore, this project has taken the LGBTI+ movement beyond the streets
from Bilbao to the towns of Bizkaia, being present since 2022 in five of the
ten regions of our Territory (Enkarterri, Uribe Kosta, Lea Artibai, Txorierri,
and Busturialdea).
3) Ortzadar LGBT regrets that an organization like EHGAM, which was a benchmark
in the fight for the rights of the LGBTI+ community during the Franco regime,
Currently, it prioritizes partisan interests, attacking others
LGBTI+ organizations instead of working to find common ground that we
a united front against hate speech from the far right and far-right movements
anti-rights.
This trend has led to the delegitimization of the 28J Coordinator of Bizkaia
as a space for debate by LGBTI+ organizations seeking to impose their
proposals and expel those who do not share that vision. Thus, this
The coordinating body has ended up becoming a residual forum that only peeks through the
head when Pride Month arrives; a forum that lacks plurality and that
It is very far removed from the real demands and interests of the
LGBTI+ people.
4) There is still much, much more to be done. LGBTphobia is growing stronger and
Hate speech tries to prevail. That’s why it’s essential that we continue
fighting on absolutely every front. The needs of the group
LGBTI+ people are there all year round. And they need programs, the
materialization of initiatives and policies, of support that arises from the social and from
institutional…But this must be a constant action… Not just around the 28th
June.
Sociopolitical struggle is essential to achieving progress in all matters related to
to LGBTI+ rights. And it is not incompatible with cultural and festive formats:
We have conquered spaces, we have made real progress in our
We fight for sexual and gender diversity. And we refuse.
to give up celebrating those triumphs.
Whatever the model of protest, unity is urgently needed. We believe in the diversity of
struggles, in shared work, in respect for ways of living and defending
Freedoms. We will not stop working for the rights of LGBTI+ people.
We will not stop dancing. No matter what anyone says.
