Most of our readers are still unaware that there’s a potential project within AEGEE focused on bringing an open and tolerant space for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transsexual (LGBT) members of our association: the QUEER project. We interviewed one of its members, E.G.
The AEGEEan: Can you give a short introduction for those who do not know about the project? How did it start?
Eline: I was not involved during the start of the project. Last August at the Planning Meeting in Poznań the idea was discussed, as some people had already started working on the project. Mirek (Mirosław Krzanik, project manager) was one of those who wanted to create a framework around the idea of social inclusion. They wanted to have a project about the inclusion of the LGBT community, to raise awareness about their situation, showing the community does not have equal rights everywhere. This for instance concerns the right to marry. They wanted to set up a project to improve this situation and then try to change the world. That was how I heard about it and how it started, the idea being that “we should improve the situation of LGBT minorities”.
How many people from AEGEE or other organisations are involved?
At this point we have a core team of four people, which is really small, and we have a mailing list with roughly a hundred people from AEGEE. We are still on the starting point of the project. In the middle of May we will have a development meeting and hopefully more people will get involved. It is still quite small.
What do you think about the Agora pre-event “Daredevils and Fairytales: follow the rainbow and find your treasure? Has it been organised by the QUEER project?
(Note: this was a European event organised by AEGEE-Groningen from 27th April to 1st May whose main topic was “LGTB acceptance in Europe”. The event was attended both by Eline and the journalist)
No, it was not organised or initiated by the QUEER project. AEGEE-Groningen wanted to do this by themselves; they initially contacted people from the QUEER project to help with the content and give input for both speakers and workshops. We are involved, but the idea came from AEGEE-Groningen.
What positive reactions and effects have you achieved by now?
(Laughs) Actually, we were present in the AEGEE Fair in Skopje during the Agora which was quite a positive presence and we are present here [in the pre-event]. Other than that we do not have anything planned yet, because the project has not officially started as a AEGEE-Europe project. We are still in the early stages (laughs again).
Do you think that you will have problems with the project you’re involved in?
We know that it is very hard for many people in AEGEE to be openly gay because they have problems with their family or the country they come from is simply not open to gay people. Because of that it is really important to involve people from Russia, the Balkans, and former Soviet Union countries because of the resistance towards gay people in these countries. We could involve them on the AEGEE local level. A local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) will be, I think, the best way to start. This way all action comes from members themselves instead of being imposed on them by third parties – that never works all too well. Again, it is really important to work with the countries mentioned before.
Have you talked about collaborating with local NGOs? For example, it might be difficult in to work in Bulgaria.
Local NGOs know about the local situation, they have much more knowledge than us and we need to be aware of the local culture. Helping them and working together will make our project much more successful. We do need local NGOs to make this project a successful.
Most NGOs work on a regional or national level. As we are a European organisation ,we can provide them with an international environment, bringing people from all over Europe and even beyond.
AEGEE can contact local NGOs and, for instance, organise a conference or event in a European level. However, they also have to acknowledge the differences between working on a European level and on a local level. I think AEGEE can bridge the gaps between the locals and bring them together in a European event or conference.
What are your final comments for our readers?
AEGEE strives to be a tolerant and open association and the main part for me is that everybody can love who they want to love, no matter what [some people might tell you]. I really like to achieve the goals of this project within AEGEE, but also outside our own realm. Everybody must have the opportunity and equal right to love the person they love, because that is what matters in life. Always.
Thank you, Eline.
Postscript: by the time this interview took place, QUEER was still planning to be a project. In the meanwhile, a change of plans has occurred and QUEER started the process of becoming a working group (WG). For now the aim of this WG (which is still looking for an appropriate name) is to provide a platform within AEGEE offering a safe and open environment for people to discuss and learn about the LGBT community and working towards the association becoming more inclusive. The renewed focus is on AEGEE instead of solely on the outside world.
Written by Álvaro Morán, AEGEE-Bilbao