Vacation time’s over so time to get back to work. —–> process video on the right. . . . #instaart #cute #chibi #couple #sea #bulgaria #nessebar #galaxytabs4 #infinitepainter #digitalart #processvideo https://www.instagram.com/p/B0dMOUgo5Lw/?igshid=8gyj5y2mu70f
the parade in our capital Sofia will be on the 12th of june, and there have already been several instances of harassment of lgbtq folks by neonazis.
luckily, i’m not openly or visibly queer, but as a bi girl this is getting kind of scary. i can see the tension building up for some kind of a violent action.
Here’s a link in bulgarian documenting recent queerphobic attacks.
Here’s a translation by me, including some clarifications:
15 may - the first burgas pride in history (burgas is a bulgarian city by the sea) is surrounded and attacked with eggs, cucumbers, rocks and smoke balls by counterprotesters, organized by Vuzrajdane, translated Renascence (a relatively new far-right party) and PUC (Parents United for Children).
25 may - a presentation of a children’s book including same-sex parents in The Steps(a lgbt+ space) is attacked and surrounded by supporters of “traditional values“.
30 may - a projection of the movie “Shells“ by Slava Doycheva is occupied by around 20 young men with Lukovmarsh and Bulgarian National Union symbols (both of these orgs are fascist as fuck), led by the youth branch of VMRO (far-right party)
1 june - on the opening day of the community center “Rainbow Hub“, the entire front door was vandalized with homophobic stickers.
1 june - in the underpass of metrostation Serdika, 6 men from Bulgarian National Union spread homophobic propaganda, harass a person who they recognize from the queer community and threaten him. (luckily a big antifascist crowd gathered and helped the dude)
1 june - the entire facade of The Steps is vandalized with eggs and foam.
“What rights do you lack?“ “Who’s hindering you?“ What about the right to watch a movie? To read a book? To gather for a peaceful protest against everyday harassment or for a celebration of your community? As wrote the director Slava Doycheva: “Next month will be a daily risk for us - I don’t know how many more examples we need… There are moments in history where you should choose which side are you on.“
angle is bad but this man is burning a rainbow flag
this is a news source saying “a football group blocks Radio Plovdiv for presenting gay books“
“we continue the successful fight against LGBTI propaganda. Every day if we should“
the eggs and foam on “the steps“
i’d appreciate if you could rb this.
EDIT
To those who reblogged this - thank you so much! I decided to add some resources so you can help lgbt+ people in bulgaria.
Here is a link to2 petitionsyou can sign. You can also access lots of relevant information (mostly on legal affairs concerning lgbtq people) on this site, some of it in english.
You can donate to the organization Bilitis via paypal, bank transfers and patreon. It spreads awareness and participates in different campaigns and projects, it deals with legal matters - the basic ngo stuff. But it also provides material aid to queer people struggling because of the pandemic and group therapy for queer youth.
You can also support some of the more radical anarcho-queer voices at Violetki Collectiveanddonate to them on paypal. (also come to the server. it’s based, you can get info about events and actions and talk to fellow radicals)
Bulgarian Orthodox faithful light candles attached to jars of honey during a Holy Mass for the “sanctification of honey” at the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin church in the town of Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, on February 10, 2022. Borislav Troshev.
Part 1 of the inspirational story Paul Venet told to the volunteers in our program to teach English to Ukrainian Refugees in Bulgaria. Thank you to the volunteers and Fulbright Bulgaria.
If you would like to volunteer to teach English or Bulgarian to Ukrainian refugees, follow this link: https://tinyurl.com/4dm29m5z
The picture on the left is the Monument to the Soviet Army. Part of it has been painted over several times by streetartists and Putin was not amused. Read its interesting story here.
The Memorial House of the Bulgarian Communist Party on top of the Buzludzha peak ( Бузлуджа ), hands down the sickest place I’ve ever visited.
I had found out about this astronaut-shaped building because a Spanish friend had posted scenic pics on fb. When I was travelling around the Balkan in 2017 I decided to pay it a visit. I was staying in a hostel in Veliko Tărnovo and together with other backpackers I met there we went to Buzludzha by car (the hitchhiking option seemed too complicated).
We went in from a hole in the ground, admired the shimmering communist mosaics (or what’s left of them), the graffiti, the scenic mountain landscape all around. Then we went out and found some guards who asked for our passports. As you can see from pic.5 the building is a security area protected by sensors and entrance is forbidden. Luckily they did not fine us, nor wanted a bribe, for I was quite short on cash.
I can’t tell if it’s still possible to visit this place, for it already seemed on the verge of falling apart 3 years ago. But if you go consider those guards and bring a torch and comfortable shoes.
All pictures were taken by me, except the first one and the last one, which are by Simon, a British fellow traveller. Bulgaria 2017
