The European Pride Organisers Association (EPOA) has published a new report that aims to understand the experiences of those who organise Pride events. The report examined the responses of 112 Pride organisers within European countries.
State of Pride provides statistics and analysis of the current state, trends, and challenges, as well as providing a baseline for future comparisons and informed decision-making. The report was developed by EPOA Board members Julia Maciocha, Lars Arnesen and Patrick van der Pas.
The area of research studies the experiences of organising Pride events, which are vital for LGBTQ+ rights advocacy and awareness, amid increasingly complex social, political, and financial situations.
The report found that more than half of all Pride events are run entirely by volunteers. Burnout is reported to be an issue among many organisers. State of Pride raises concerns over the sustainability and safety of these conditions, especially amid such political hostility.
The study found that 55.9% of Pride organisers report their government as friendly and helpful, and less than half reported receiving financial or public support from their government. 81% reported receiving online hate, with an increase in the last three years, and 25% of respondents reported death threats or threats of physical violence. 47.31% reported direct hate speech, and 13.98% experiencede phsyical attacks or assault.
The EPOA’s research in State of Pride also shows that despite these negative factors, such as online hate and further reductions in funding, the movement continues to grow. Despite a statutory prohibition against Pride events coming into effect in Hungary last year, Budapest Pride saw a record-breaking 200,000 participants come out in defiance.
The report also highlights that most Pride bans are not outright but informal and implicit instead, which is much more difficult to monitor and compare.
Advocacy and positive change can often be limited without evidence, and this report seeks to understand the obstacles facing LGBTQ+ rights advocates in Europe. Hate speech, a lack of funding and a shortage of human resources were cited as the three biggest challenges for these organisations.
EPOA President Patrick Orth commented on the report’s significance, stating, “For the first time, this report provides a broad overview of the conditions under which Pride organisations operate across Europe. It examines their financial sustainability, their ability to exercise the right to peaceful assembly, and the political environments in which they work.
“These factors shape not only the future of Pride events themselves, but also reflect the broader strength and resilience of the LGBTQIA+ movement in Europe.”
Orh added, “Given the fact that democratic values and human rights cannot be taken for granted, reliable data is important.”
The EPOA report, State of Pride, is available here.
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