ECHOES OF THE EAST - ON QUEER RESILIENCE FROM BIAŁYSTOK TO LEIPZIG

Białystok, Bautzen, Leipzig – what connects these places? These are cities and towns where queer activists organize Pride events and face strong backlash from far-right groups and fascists. Small or large, these communities often struggle against growing anti-queer and far-right groups. However, queer people do not give up. They create networks of solidarity and build structures to withstand the violence.

How do they navigate life after enduring the waves of anti-gay- and anti-trans violence sweeping through Europe and the world in recent years? How do they keep their resilience? How do queer spaces persist? How do they organize? How do they break the binary, reclaim the streets with joy and defiance? Together with the invited activists and artists from Poland and Saxony, we want to get into conversation about their strategies and challenges as well as how networks of solidarity can be built beyond national borders.

Before the panel discussion, the film screening FILIPKA and the performance PASKUDNIK will also take place at LOFFT.

Moderation: 
Paweł Matusz (she/he/they) – queer and antifascist activist.

Guests:
Filipka Rutkowska (she/he/they) – performance artist and art historian.
Paweł Świerczek (any pronouns) – dramaturg, performer, producer, (neuro)queer activist, part of Śląsk Przegięty (Queer Silesia)
Danai Chondrokouki (she/her) – queer activist, sometimes-artist, shrink-to-be, part of Śląsk Przegięty (Queer Silesia)
Fayer Koch (they/them) – author, activist, and co-founder of the queer Leipzig collective ‘bubble’
Tubi Malcharzik (they/them) – artist, performer and DJ

In English (German whispered translation possible).