The Pride Speech I Wanted You To Hear

I was invited to give a speech during Malta Pride, but just as the gleeful parade was coming to an end, a message ticked in from the organiser.

They had to cancel the speeches.

Before y'all start clutching your pearls, let me emphasise that it was due to delays and scheduling conflicts, and despite of it being a shame (of course), I don't hold the decision against the organisers however vexed I am by the unfortunate circumstances.

Having used literally months thinking about this moment, though, and how to condense all my thoughts down to two racing minutes, and how those two minutes could be relevant to everyone participating in pride, there's been a lack of catharsis that I now finally get to resolve through the cunning use of online blogging.

I hope this gives you food for thought, and inspires you to act, march, talk - and love.

MALTA PRIDE SPEECH 2019

Chris Vincent Jung (Checkpoint Malta)

Rights can be given, and rights can be taken away.

People change laws.

But law only changes paper,

so what changes people?

Presence.

Presence changes people.

This kind of presence demands a certain amount of bravery.

But one small act of bravery from any one of you

has the potential of changing the world.

Sometimes the world around us.

Sometimes - just your own.

Both of these changes are essential for our future.

My struggle is your struggle

And your struggle is mine.

If you can understand this potential.

We can change a paradigm.

© 2019 René Zuiderveld