Working Class Heroes in all colours of rainbow
European organizations make action alert for better LGBTI* workers’ rights. European Left LGBTI Working Group, Red Rainbow (SKP) and the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) Working Group on Racism and non- discrimination have written a joint statement “Red Pride Model Declaration”.
Helsinki Pride Red Declaration will be red on Friday 11.9. in the very centre of Helsinki at Kolmen Sepän patsas – statue of the three smiths. Reading will be live streamed at European Left FB page at 14.00 o’clock (CET)
Main theme of Helsinki Pride2020 is “Role Models”. Same theme has been also in the centre of the organization’s collaboration. A physical panel discussion had to be cancelled due the Coid-19 travel restrictions.
LGBTI activists of the European organizations have since last winter gathered under title “Working Class Hero –equality as role model” to plan debate about working-class struggle, every day’s heroes, European queer reality and the fight for better working life.
– Our collective aim has been to make queer reality and the fight for better working life visible, heard, show the challenges and rights of the LGBTI community’s workers face in everyday life in different European countries and provide new ideas and political tools for queer battle for better working life conditions, says JP (Juha-Pekka) Väisänen chairperson of the Communist Party of Finland and active member of the Finnish Red Rainbow LGBTI organization.
Helsinki Pride Red Declaration states that the LGBTI workers suffer intersectional discrimination: for working-class position and for ”sexual orientation, gender identity and/or gender expression sexual identity or sexual orientation, among other factors.
– Addressing these problems requires international solidarity, something that the labour movement has already taught us for many years. This solidarity must understand that, we the LGBTI people are part of the labour movement and political parties and that our demands must be on the agenda of the parties, transnationally, says Väisänen.
The declaration states that different progressive forces of the European civil society, the parties of the European Left and member unions of the ETUC can provide innovative solutions by understanding that the crises mentioned in the declaration are related to each other: capitalism destroys the environment, regulates bodies and sexualities, exploits racial and sexual minorities, promotes wars internationally that a, in turn, generate migratory movements that affect Europe, including LGBTI migrants. This complex vision is fundamental for creating a better future, for good jobs for all and for acceptance of diversity everywhere.
– This solidarity is much stronger and more effective when we are coordinated among countries. The current economic system is global. Therefore, the response to that system must be international. That is why we propose an international action alert to change the current situation that exploits the LGBTI workers. A better future for progressive new role models that are inclusive, class-conscious feminist, sexually and racially diverse and worker focused, states Väisänen
*LGBTI presenting lesbian-, gay-, bi-, trans– and intersex people
