March 8 – not/behind the scenes Aizat Syinat
March 8th, International Day of Women’s Solidarity and Struggle for Equal Rights, is one of the most significant days in the feminist calendar. In 2016, BFI was the first to bring together interested LGBT organizations, sister organizations, and fellow activists to join in organizing a peaceful march. Before that BFI organized small informational protest actions. A ton of logistical, creative and emotional work went into each march. The first march began with an ordinary conversation over a cup of tea. Each year we formed a working team, distributed responsibilities and resources. The march was usually coordinated by one or two activists. current femfilms, held exhibitions, and participated in events of other fem and women’s The preparation process generally looked groups. This was all done to unite us in feeling something like this — we would stay until mid- empathy and our collective strength and pownight to finish the posters, distribute the press er in spite of the sad and tragic events that releases, translate texts and slogans, prepare had pushed us into activism. We encountered our equipment and musical instruments, and different provocations before, during and after develop a security plan in case haters decided each march. The threats, bullying and harassto provoke or attack us. We organized aware- ment often occurred online. During the 2019 ness raising groups, conducted screenings of march, they tried to tear down a LGBTQ flag. 62
