The first Queer festival celebrates difference in Saint-Affrique

Emz Bezinet et Achille Segura organisent le festival à Saint-Affrique. Midi libre – M. B.

Two young people from Saint-Affrique are behind it and it will take place on October 5th. Several events are scheduled.

This is a big first, a brand new festival honors all gender diversity in Saint-Affrique. The Queeralité festival, supported by the Sainte-Affricaine association of the same name, will take place on Saturday, October 5th. “The genesis of this festival comes from our involvement in a civic service at the Idées association. This is where the desire to do something concrete here in Saint-Affrique was born”, explains Achille Segura, 23, one of the two founders of the event with Emz Besinet. He continues: “This is where the Queeralité Festival was born, a festival of LGBTQ+ artists (1). Its name is a mix of queer (non-binary people) and rurality. It takes place over one day and its eclectic program mixes art, culture, debates, a large creative market, a raffle and festive moments”.

Deconstructing Clichés

From 10am, a large arts and crafts market will be held in the village hall. “Twenty-five local LGBTQ+ artists are participating in this market, in different fields, illustration, basketwork, linocut, screen printing, ceramics, sewing… The idea is also to deconstruct clichés, to create exchanges in order to change the image of LGBTQ+ people conveyed by the general public, often the result of ignorance. The goal is the acceptance of these people as full members of society. More difficult in the countryside than in the city", recognizes Emz Besinet, 26 years old. At lunchtime, a big picnic on the grass in the public garden, a friendly and ideal time to chat. Several workshops and conferences punctuate the day on subjects such as “Gender identity”, “Sexual orientation”, “LGBTQ+ rights”, “Mental health with a Montpellier doctor”, “ Our Queer ruralities with the journalist Elsa Souchet” and “Queer diversity” with the presence of members of the community, Les Jardins des passages, based in Cantal. This welcoming and relaxing place for gender minorities offers market gardening, picking and various confectionery activities.

Drag queen show

As for the festivities, a show, La magie d’Emma, ​​an artist from Sainte-Affricaine; a participatory concert with April Production on the principle “The book of which you are the hero” in a fantasy (wonderful) universe, a Drag queen show with the Toulouse-based Coco BG; a trad folk ball with Phonème Trio (hurdy-gurdy, violin and banjo) and a DJ Set with Ciné Machine.MP4 and the Gobelins Mélomanes collective. The turntables are open to the public! «Come with your USB key!». The Queeralité festival also offers anonymous and free screening tests for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) with the Relais VIH de l’Aveyron, in partnership with the Family Planning. A festival for better living together, necessary in these troubled times.

Saturday, October 5 from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. at the village hall and the Caveau. Festival entrance: free participation for all shows and concerts (recommended 10 €) + 1 € membership to the association + hats for the artists at each show.
(1) Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transsexuals, Queer, + for other genders.