Gay Pride Paris 2025: A Candid Street Interview, Only on HappyGayTV

It's crap! Yes, you heard me right in 2025, the atmosphere surrounding the Marche des Fiertés in Paris, is just crap! Hello my little ones, hello to you all! Forgive me for starting like this, it's not usually the case for me, but what I'm about to tell you, is something I feel deeply. From the polemical poster by Inter-LGBT, the violent reactions it triggered,

blackmail for subsidies, exclusion of LGBT associations, we could hardly have asked asked for a more toxic context for an event supposed to bring us all together. So much so that this year, here at HappyGayTV we thought: “We're not going ”! Because we're not a news channel and we don't do politics. That's not our mission. Our mission, is to give a voice,

to pass on the microphone to those unheard and to share inspiring stories, that lift us up, that drive us to move forward together. And in this atmosphere toxic atmosphere, we didn't want to find ourselves pretending, pretending to be naive under multicolored flags asking innocuous questions, as if everything were fine. Except that, the day before of the march, we receive a press release from an association:

Fierté citoyenne, to avoid naming them, explaining that they were excluded from the parade! We never get this kind of type of statement. No wonder we don't do news! And then we thought: - "Well, what if it's destiny calling"? So we grabbed our cameras, our microphones and came over. Not to judge, but to listen. We met with association leaders, elected officials, activists, but especially you, you who are here, proud, standing tall!

And we asked this simple yet fundamental question: the poster and the attitude of Inter-LGBT, politicians, certain associations did they share similarities or, on the contrary, conflicting? Your answers are straightforward, diverse, sometimes touching, but most of all, powerful, And keep it up to the end, because I'm going to reveal to you what I've been entrusted with behind camera, or off-air, as they say.

Yes, what one does not say in front of the camera! And so, I'm not sure we'll be filming again this march next year. But today we're here, we're listening. Queue report! Stop trying to pick holes. That's a great poster! This is to support the Hungarians and Bulgarians!

And in times like these, with the strength of the extreme right, we must be united, we must stand up for ourselves! We can't start nagging, nianiania, uh... No, that's how it is. They were right! So, yes, we do consider that the poster from Inter-LGBT is a divisive poster that is not unifying, since it used codes

that are quite violent, to say that we must fight against fascists, against homophobes and all that! We at Beit Haverim believe that violence should not be met with violence. As Jews, we didn't take this poster very well, because this poster contains symbols that are not in our favor. For example, there is the symbol of the extreme left, which, as we know, is quite

anti-Semitic. We have... We have the Palestinian symbol, so why not Palestinians, but not in... I don't understand this Palestinian symbol, in this battle for LGBT rights. It could be in other political causes, but absolutely not in this one. And we also had the veiled woman, so why not have a veiled woman?

But in that case, why don't we put a cross, so that we don't put a Star of David? And so, I find that this poster is very, very biased. And that's what I really don't like about it. On the other hand, even if we completely disassociate ourselves from the poster, we felt that it was important that we take part in this march, to show another voice, a much more moderate voice, less radical and which does not advocate violence.

So today, divisive. An inter-association that excludes LGBT people who does not share their ideological line, refusing, in fact, to march alongside them, in a historic demonstration such as La Marche des Fiertés, it's very, very serious! We consider it a political mistake to have done that! And, of course, we condemn it. We tried to take an amicable approach. We tried to talk to the inter-LGBT organization.

And today, we see that in this inter-association, there can no longer be any critical comments, or militant statements that we do not agree with. Well, it does not satisfy the association Fierté Citoyenne, nor does it satisfy many LGBT people, many associations who are questioning today the way it works, which is becoming an authoritarian system. They're the ones who shut us out,

simply because we exercised our freedom of speech, because we said we didn't agree with a polarizing poster that does not represent all LGBT people. In addition, a controversial poster was imposed within the inter-association using questionable methods. Several associations have condemned it, and not the least. And today,

what we're saying is that this march doesn't belong to Inter-LGBT . it belongs to all LGBT people, it is the legacy of a long struggle and we are at fault when an association the inter-association decides to exclude a part of the community! And clearly, in fact, we do not agree with abandoning the values of secularism and...

universalism. The inter-LGBT today is completely hollowed out by activists from the radical left. It has adopted a decolonial discourse that equates today completely the principle of secularism with racism. We completely disagree with this interpretation. We believe that secularism protects LGBT people. This is important! It's fundamental,

to say that today, and that's why we're here. I would simply respond that the inter-LGBT is an inter-association that takes decisions and defends a number of rights and values and that today, we are no longer concerned with the poster. We are at a Pride that has been attacked severely by violent far-right groups. I'll take that off,

because someone is talking to me through my earpiece. There you go! The Pride March has been under attack for three weeks, insulted, threatened with death, by violent far-right groups and that today, with the help of associations, SOS Homophobia, from the League of Human Rights, from Euro Pride and so many other supporters, of large community associations ,

the Inter-LGBT was present. The Paris-Ile de France march is already a victory today! Despite subsidy blackmail, despite intimidation, in the face of attempts of infiltration from violent far-right groups , we are now at a turning point in our history to defend LGBTQIA+ rights, against all forms of transphobia, sexism,

ableism, and machismo. And also, to stand up for an increasingly burdensome challenge for our communities, our associations and our allied associations, blackmailing for subsidies! Our Prides are not for sale! Our pride is not up for grabs! Our marches will continue until the end! With 130 processions,

40 floats, more than 350 volunteers dedicated to safety, to kindness and inclusion, we have already won, at the Pride March, this ideological victory against the far right and its reactionary world. Off-air question: - Don't you think that it's easy to say that everyone who doesn't agree with you are right-wing extremists?

Because some people still defend it! Off-air: - Use my wording in your response. - I'm not going to repeat your wording there, I'm going to reinterpret it in another way, Off-air: - As you wish, yes.

- I can clearly understand the emotion of the volunteers who may feel hurt by an image, by an artistic representation . But I also understand all the support, in extremely large numbers, massive, who are sending us exactly this message, to tell ourselves that we must carry on and stick to this line, this power struggle with the far right,

and also to show the violence of the far right, this violence that is used here in a figurative way, an allegory of the extreme right. And also to highlight, as Act-Up does with the pink triangle, this violence which, in this case, is killing people all the time! We are in a situation today, where Pride is not limited to a poster. It is also symbolized by slogans

a call to action, parades that have a diversity of multiple demands. I understand the commotion, but I also understand, and clearly in overwhelming majority, the associations for whom, the Pride March, the Inter-LGBT team, volunteers who campaign, who strive, who defend the organization of this march, which is one of

the main annual events in Ile de France for LGBTQIA+ rights, should take place in the best possible conditions. These condition are met. Success is here. Attendance is still high, and we are loud and clear this moment of political crystallization where you have, regardless of a poster, the desire to preserve the Pride March and to preserve a team of volunteers who are willing to fight. And that goes beyond an artistic

interpretation that we can have on a piece of paper. Not for me! Quite the contrary, they were wrong to put up a poster like that this year. I think the poster is too controversial! On the contrary, they should've created a neutral one. Actually, this year, I wanted to volunteer for Pride. But that's not the case. They called me a week ago, and I asked them,

I told them clearly that if they didn't change the poster, I wouldn't volunteer. But they told me they weren't going to do it. I understand that there was such a craze because of this poster, but I'm all against this poster. On the other hand, it's Pride, so I'll be there! We have a duty to remain united! And so, faced with a reactionary front which will not hesitate to join forces.

So that's why today it's very important that we march, it's very important that we are all united, today in this march. And it's not a poster that we consider exclusionary. Personally, I'm in favor of excluding people on the far right. In fact, people on the far right... clearly aren't there to defend our rights! They're like a Trojan horse. In fact, these people if they come to power, if the far right comes to power,

they will do everything they can to take away our rights. So I think it's a good thing. No fascists in our groups, no fascists in our marches! To be honest, I think that religions are not, in any case, religious authorities are not tolerant! We are not accepted as queer people, we can't be... I'm a trans woman, lesbian, if...

Well, I wouldn't be accepted, actually. if I were Christian or Jewish. I have friends who are, who are Catholic, who are Jewish, who have done things to be able to practice their religion, because they weren't accepted in traditional institutions. For starters, when you need to send a message to explain the poster, you need to ask yourself the right questions!

Namely, that the poster is a disaster! At some point, we're all here to defend our rights. We have to stop mixing the issues. Politics has no place here! It's just divisive and it doesn't work. I fought for our rights, I fought for marriage for everyone, for years. Now, I'm here... This is a celebration of being proud of who I am,

and who everyone else is. I'm at the Gay Pride parade. I really thought about it before coming. There's no way I'm not coming because of a poster! On the other hand, I know a lot of people who, because of the poster, won't be coming, because they mixed the genders, and that's absolutely not what should have been done! The poster is obviously not the kind of poster I would have made and that the Paris City Hall would have made.

But I have a lot of respect for what the associations are doing. I don't think it's up to local authorities, even if, they were funding a march who decided that whether a poster is good or not. After all, if it is in violation of public order, which is not the case for me , It is debatable on a number of points, but anyway, still, we mustn't forget that the Inter-LGBT is a democratic entity.

We've said everything and its opposite. I looked into it, and it was still voted on. That's right, some people weren't there. You know, when you're not there for a vote, as for me, a member of the Paris Council, when I'm not there, at the Paris Council, what's going on, what's being voted on, when I'm not present, it's my fault, because I simply wasn't there. So this poster must not distract from the main point either! Today, we are in an absolutely terrible situation

in the world, because homophobia is rising everywhere, transphobia is there, every day! The debate, especially since Donald Trump was re-elected, has completely fallen apart. And me, coming back from Budapest Pride, to think that in Europe, we would ban a Pride and threaten with imprisonment those who attend,

I think that at some point we are going too far! So there you have it, beyond this poster, I focused more on the main message. For me, the main thing is that Pride, should be the main march, every year in Paris, a recurring march. And it's attracting more and more people. And besides, this year, despite all the controversy, it has never been as successful

in the last five years! So this means that people were eager to get together. And I think we need to put aside all the controversy, and find ourselves beyond our differences. But we have the right, when we're in different associations, to think differently. Just like Inter-LGBT has the right to have its rallying cry, since it's their event,

it's their organizers who, how can I put it, who decide. And so I respect that, I'm not getting involved. If, for example, tomorrow, the Communist Party holds a protest and the RN wants to join this rally, I would completely understand if the Communist Party refused! And so I don't get involved in what associations decide. The Inter-LGBT has its members, and therefore, it has the right not to want

associations that are not part of the inter-LGBT! Anyway, I'm saying that this march was peaceful, joyful and that it was vocal! That's all we needed today. And I think we need to put the controversy behind us, because frankly, it only pleases the extremists And that's really not good for this cause, which today needs

unity among all LGBTQI+ and allies. And I point this out because I watched the footage, because I was in Budapest, I wasn't here, but I watched a lot of footage, lots of videos of the march in Paris. There were a lot of allies, including young girls and young heterosexual boys. And I think that's a great victory.

There's still a long way to go. I think the poster, is what it is. We need to focus on ourselves, on the battles we're fighting today. And we can put that aside precisely so that we can all walk together,

and walk in peace with... to fight the battles we have to fight!

Thank you to everyone who took the time to answer our questions. We tried to get different points of view, sometimes conflicting, sometimes unexpected. But if you think your opinion hasn't been taken into account, if you want to add more to an idea or even express another perspective, use our Hotline. You can leave an audio or video message. It's easy, it's straightforward, and above all it's for sharing, not to get into arguments we agree, right?

All you have to do is go to HappyGayTV.com and click on Hot-Line, in the main menu. If required, create an account as you would on any other social network, and then you just follow the instructions. So, no insults, no threats, we're all clear on that On HappyGayTV, we're here to talk, not to fight! Otherwise, unfortunately, your message will not be posted.

The answers will be available online on our platform, maybe even in an upcoming broadcast, if we get enough messages. And as soon as they are available, the members of the HappyGayTV club will be the first to know and will have priority access. And if you're not subscribed yet, well go ahead, for the club, it's free too! Now let me tell you what happened off camera once the microphone was turned off.

One of our interviewees told us this: - "Anyway, HappyGayTV, I know you well, I know who you are, I've read your articles, I've seen your videos, you're a conservative media outlet, even far-right! Wow! See what I mean? [Laughter] So I replied calmly that we, don't run a news program, we're not a militant media channel,

nor a political media, we're just here to offer a stand to those who need it. But I won't hide that I took it very badly. Not because he called me left-wing or right-wing media! I don't really care, Pfff... Who cares! What bothers me is this way of sticking a label on something, right away, without nuance, without discussion. And then, you're either accepted or rejected.

The result is that no one really talks to each other anymore. And we felt that throughout the entire march! It reminded me of a song by Renaud. So, forgive me, Mr. Séchan, but the thing is, your lyrics really strike a chord: "You piss me off, and you have no place in my world! Get out of here, you're really not one of us! Get lost, you stink! And walk in the shadows!

See, when I told you at the start of the report that it smells, we're right smack in the middle of it! Today, if you say one word out of line, you're not on the right side, and boom... rejected! Yet HappyGayTV was just there to understand and after listening carefully, I think we understand. Yes, really! Now, the question is whether next year we'll still be covering

the Paris Pride March, or if we decide not to go and breathe healthier, fresher air elsewhere... So, tell us what you think on the Hotline. That's it for now, my little ones, Big hugs! Take good care of yourselves! I love you! Ciao! Ciao! See you soon!