Archive: 14.11.2018.

Performance Masks: A protest against a system that fails to recognize the existence of trans people

Podgorica, PR press service – The Spektra Association organized the performance “Masks,” during which 11 trans individuals wore masks and carried banners, sending a message that the event represents a protest against a system that does not acknowledge their existence.

The participants of the performance carried banners with messages pointing out the violation of their basic human rights, and after 20 minutes, they turned the banners around, showing positive messages.

Jovan Ulićević, the executive director of Spektra Association, stated that the “Masks” performance was organized in remembrance of the victims of transphobia, a day marked every year on November 20th.

“This day is dedicated to all the trans people who were murdered in the past year because of their gender identity and expression. In the past year, 368 people were killed worldwide, exclusively because of their gender identity. This is 43 more than the previous year,” Ulićević highlighted in Independence Square.

According to him, on this day, trans people decided to take to the streets.

“We decided to show our protest against a system that does not recognize our existence, a system that, for example, forced me to undergo sterilization, which is a criminal act, just to change the gender marker on documents; a system that didn’t protect Hana when she was assaulted on the street and brutally beaten; a system that didn’t protect others who dropped out of school simply because they were beaten, insulted, or humiliated because of their gender identity,” Ulićević conveyed.

He emphasized that trans people decided to celebrate and be proud of themselves.

“We decided to take to the streets and show that we are here, that we are ready to stand up for our rights, and that we are ready to demand what is ours,” said Ulićević.

He also mentioned that, since the performance was part of Pride Week, trans people decided to show, in his words, that they do not kiss chains, and that they will be present at the Montenegro Pride on Saturday.

“On Saturday, we expect all the citizens of Montenegro to come and show that, together with us, they do not kiss chains and that they refuse to bow to the system that oppresses us, and the society that forces us to accept pressure to be something we are not,” Ulićević stated.

Hana Konatar, a representative of Spektra Association, said that the organization had decided to mark the day of remembrance for all the victims of transphobia, all the trans people who were, as she put it, murdered or suffered violence due to their gender identity.

“We are here to send a loud and clear message that no oppression and no violence is stronger or greater than us. Our freedom and lives are more important than anything that suppresses us and puts us into boxes that do not belong to us,” Konatar stressed.

Danijel Kalezić, the president of the board of Queer Montenegro, stated that the performance, which was part of Pride Week, is another way to highlight, as he put it, the disrespect for human rights, “and, above all, the violation of the basic human rights of trans people.”

“For the first time, we have a public event organized by trans people from the Spektra association, held in the capital’s square, and as we can see, the event is passing completely peacefully, safely, and without incidents, which is also progress compared to previous years,” Kalezić said.

When asked by journalists whether everything is ready for the sixth Montenegro Pride, which will be held on Saturday, Kalezić stated that everything is ready from an organizational standpoint.

“We are still waiting for information on which members of the government will appear on Saturday. We expect government officials this year, as well as representatives from all institutions responsible for human rights for LGBTIQ people, as well as representatives from the Capital and other cities,” Kalezić said.

He emphasized that they expect citizens of Montenegro to come to the Pride on Saturday and support, as he said, the overall human rights, not just those of LGBT people, but the rights of all people in Montenegro.

“We expect a large number of LGBT people from Montenegro to be with us that day,” Kalezić added.