Bari Pride 2022 Gallery

Bari Pride 2022, gay Puglia, gay Italy, gay Puglia podcast

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Enjoy!

Bari Pride was held on 2nd July 2022 in Bari. It is estimated that around 10,000 celebrated #diversity and equality.

The first of Puglia’s main cities’ parades took us from Piazza Umberto I to Largo Luigi Giannella on the seafront, in 33°C on a hot, sticky Saturday afternoon.

As usual a colourful display of people and banners were evident, with Generation Z making up a significant part of the participants. Bold, young, unafraid and LGBTQ+ friendly.

Italy lags behind EU neighbours accepting diversity. Although progress has been made - we have civil partnerships but are a long way off from #equalmarriage - a patriarchal society, the Catholic Church and support for far-right parties make it difficult for many Italians to lead open and authentic lives.

Italy’s macho culture may be stronger in the less metropolitan south, but other factors mean that it is harder for people to be their authentic selves. It is not unusual for young people to live at the family home with their parents and grandparents well into their 30s.

Or sometimes well into their 60s and 70s…

There is less visibility. As with most of Italy, the LGBT+ community tends to keep a lower profile. We’re here, but you have to look more closely to find us.

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Even our Pride parades seem to have a different flavour. More queer than LGB or T. Brought up on a Netflix diet of Heartstopper, Sex Education and Elite, Generation Z are much more open, accepting and supportive. Best of all they are unafraid to be visible, whether as members of the LGBTQ+ community or as allies.

At Bari Pride, the kiss had it! Even if it were in the moment that it felt safe, that one day of the year, for just a few hours…

Amnesty International, as always, had an important presence.

Le Sorelle Pompadur, Puglia’s very own fish wives. Voted The Best of Puglia 2020 best entertainers (just pipping the magnificent Eleanora to the post). Taking their name from the less than glamorous pompa (blow) dur (hard), the twins are Puglia’s homage to Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, Madame de Pompadour.

Servizio D’Ordine. The public face of Bari Pride.

But in any event it comes back to one thing. Love is love. Even though some of us are only able to demonstrate it by holding hands.

Because, just remember, love is love.

And friends can have fun together.

The lovely Patrizia offers us condoms. Another reminder that love is love, and as much fun as we might have letting our hair down, awareness and responsibility are key. Especially now that Monkeypox is coming. (Condoms are not sufficient protection, and although men who have sex with men are vulnerable, we are all at risk - and this is how terrible it is).

But however you identify, Love is love, and we are all equal when it comes to emotions and feeling and being with that special person.