Each year, the Equality March stands at the middle of Luxembourg’s Pride celebrations, organised by Rosa Lëtzebuerg. Although the Grand Duchy’s LGBTQIA+ community enjoys relative freedom, campaigners stressed there is progress to be made.
The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) recently downgraded Luxembourg in its European index, slipping from seventh to 10th place, not because of deteriorating conditions but due to stagnation as other countries moved forward.
For instance, unlike other countries, Luxembourg has yet to outlaw harmful practices such as so-called conversion therapy, which aims to change or repress an individual’s gender or sexual identity. Equally, Rosa Lëtzebuerg still sees an alarming incidents of hate crime.
Crowds of between 2,000 and 3,000 people took part in the march through Esch, culminating in speeches and concerts that stressed both celebration and determination.
Minister for Equality and Diversity Yuriko Backes, who attended the march alongside her colleagues, asserted her continued support for the LGBTQIA+ community – especially at a time at which these rights are increasingly threatened by reactionary tendencies.
“These trends openly question the achievements of our free society – not only at a local level, but a European one, too,” she said. “We oppose this rollback and continue to build a more equal and inclusive future.”
Backes also highlighted the growing normalisation of hate speech in public and online, warning that “words turn into actions,” as history teaches again and again. She pledged not to stand by idly, committing to work alongside colleagues and civil society to safeguard and strengthen LGBTQIA+ citizens’ rights.
