OPINION: Board member of Aarhus Pride: Surprised and hurt by AU’s decision to stay out of Pride
It would have been nice if Aarhus University had used Aarhus Pride as its primary source, instead of basing its decision on something 'supposed', Sara Arvidsson Corneliussen writes. She is a member of Aarhus Pride's board and an anthropology student at AU.
It was previously stated in the opinion piece that there was no sponsorship policy under the previous board. This is not correct and has therefore been corrected. Omnibus apologises. Mads Dyrmose from the former board of Aarhus Pride writes: “For many years, partners, sponsors and those who have wanted stands at Pride Lounge have had to declare at registration that they do not work against the rights of the LGBT+ community or go against other values that Aarhus Pride has had as an organisation. If there has been any doubt, it has been investigated.”
This is an opinion piece, the views expressed in the column are the writer’s own.
I must admit that as a board member of Aarhus Pride, I am surprised that AU will not support Aarhus Pride this year. I have to admit, it also hurts that something I’ve worked hard on alongside my studies isn’t being recognised by the university - a place I otherwise care deeply about.
Aarhus University is not participating in this year’s Aarhus Pride
AU has made no attempt to engage in dialogue or approach us directly, and is apparently basing its decision on something merely “alleged.”
"It has been noted that this year’s Pride, unlike in previous years, is reportedly seeking to take a more pronounced stance on certain political issues.”
For another time, it might be good to use Aarhus Pride as a primary source for such decisions, e.g. look at our website or contact us directly.
What we have actually done is to state explicitly that Aarhus Pride is an organisation centred on human rights. In other words, we stand for international law and human rights - the belief that everyone is equal and entitled to their rights - which naturally forms the basis of the fight for LGBTQ+ rights. Our primary focus remains on LGBTQ+ rights, but we also want to ensure that Aarhus Pride doesn’t come at the expense of others. On that basis, we have introduced a sponsorship policy. But focusing only on LGBTQ+ rights would undermine all those LGBTQ+ people who are not merely sexual or gender minorities. That is why it has been important for us to make it clear that our core values are human rights. Because if Aarhus Pride has to mean something, it has to stand for something. It’s telling who drops out when we say we support international law and human rights - something that, on the surface, shouldn’t be all that controversial.
We therefore hope that AU's decision is based on misunderstandings and that AU will be there next year, when it will hopefully become clear that Aarhus Pride is still a celebration of diversity, which has only become more important in recent times. Of course, AU, like everyone else, is very welcome.
This text is machine translated and post-edited by Cecillia Jensen.