Today (27.07.) at the press conference in the arte Hotel, the official Pride Hotel 2022, there was the media presentation of the Pride Week for Salzburg Pride 2022, which starts in four weeks. The response was remarkable.

In addition to the two representatives of the organisers Pride Week Salzburg (Klaus Horvat-Unterdorfer) and HOSI Salzburg (GF Conny Felice), the deputy governor of Salzburg Heinrich Schellhorn (Greens), the provincial councillor Andrea Klambauer (NEOS) and the city councillor Anja Hagenauer (SPÖ) were present (photo from left to right). 

In addition to the programme of Pride Week, the main focus was on a current classification of queer realities in the overall social context of the human rights city of Salzburg. Heinrich Schellhorn reminded the audience that in Austria, steps towards tolerance and acceptance of non-heteronormative lifestyles have always been initiated by decisions of the Austrian Constitutional Court, and not by the actions of politicians. Accordingly, public awareness in terms of acceptance of queer life designs is definitely open to criticism.

Andrea Klambauer said, “There will be no step back” as far as the acceptance of minorities is concerned. She referred to the worldwide tendency towards backward-looking attitudes, for example also with regard to women’s rights, as is currently the case in the USA. In the context of queer lifeworlds, Anja Hagenauer mentioned not only education and youth, but also the topic of old age. In many care facilities, she repeatedly experiences that people can and want to find their sexual self-determination even in old age. Therefore, it is important to promote sensitivity for queer issues in all areas of society.

Visibility & Diversity

Klaus Horvat-Unterdorfer listed examples in which queer people in Austria are still allowed to be discriminated against by law. A failed hall rental, a refused taxi ride, a rejected order for a wedding cake and others. All these reasons still make it necessary to take to the streets and demonstrate for the concerns of queer lifestyles on Christopher Street Day, just like our ancestors did on Christopher Street in New York in 1969. Heinrich Schellhorn expressly praised this year’s CSD motto “Be visible Schatzi”. Only through visibility does the majority get an opportunity to confront non-heteronormativity.

The press was represented in large numbers, from ORF to the Salzburger Nachrichten, Antenne Salzburg, salzburg24.at and others. Several questions were asked, e.g. how much presence is counterproductive. Anja Hagenauer answered the question with the remark “For 3% farmers in Austria there is a ministry of agriculture. For an estimated 10% of queer people there is what?

Afterwards, numerous interviews were made. The arte Hotel provided the perfect location. The press conference lasted over 1.5 hours, much longer than expected. A convincing integration of queer issues into the social reality of Salzburg was achieved.

Pride Festival zum CSD Salzburg 2023, 27.08. bis 3.09.2023