On the occasion of the Pride month and following the International Day against Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (May 17), we created a rainbow bench with some symbols of the LGBTQIA+ community.
In addition to the 6 colors of the rainbow flag created in the late 70s to support the movement, we added one of its most updated versions, which includes the colors of the trans pride flag, those that remember people with AIDS and those in memory of marginalized people of color, to underline the importance of intersectionality and the necessary attention to possible discrimination within the movement.
The staff of the Observatory gathered for a moment of reflection and a toast for the Pride of Lecco and Milan, near our two offices. We listened to the words of some colleagues on the history of the LGBTQIA+ rights movement and its symbols, and finally a message from Giannis Papagianopoulos, colleague at the Athens Observatory, LGBTQI+ activist and editor of the magazine Antivirus.
For the occasion we tried to minimize our environmental impact, reducing single-use material and toasting with the cups we use every day in the office.
