As diverse and colourful as a rainbow: conference on rainbow families

The traditional mother/father/child family continues to be portrayed in the media and in schools as the societal norm. But the reality of family structures is far more diverse, as shown in the new brochure presented in 28/4/2013 by the Rainbow* Families Association of Athens for Gender Equality.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--MD5-FtPps&feature=youtu.be

We estimate that about 400,000 people (10% of all population) are growing up or were grown up in so-called rainbow families in Greece, that is, in families where at least one parent or a relative or son/daughter is self-identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans* person. Children in rainbow families are mainly bombarded by images showing the traditional heterosexual family as the societal norm – not only in school books, but also in the media too. The reality of their own lives is rarely shown.

Information breeds respect

Discrimination is not often obvious in order to be understood. People who are “different” or live “differently” are often marginalised, and this is happening unconsciously and not out of ill will. This marginalisation is usually the result of ignorance and lack of information. The new brochure from the Greek Rainbow Families Association for Gender Equality aims to counteract this situation giving visibility to the living reality of children, parents and relatives that live in rainbow families and by providing tips and information on rainbow families for professionals.

The Rainbow Families Association will launch this brochure during Alter Summit Conference on June 7, 2013. The conference, as a whole, will provide food for thought on the topic of an integrative education and family policy through personal accounts and information on legal aspects that will give a comprehensive look at the topic of rainbow families in all their diversity and the developmental psychology of children growing up in these families.

Protecting and strengthening our children

The brochure and conference aim to raise awareness of the situation of rainbow families among teachers and caregivers, day-care providers, youth and family workers and other interested professions, so that children will be protected and strengthened, no matter in what family structure they’re growing up. 

ACTIVITIES, CO-OPERATIONS AND CONTACTS OF THE TEAM

1. Statutory bodies and unions

• Collaboration with SYD (Greek Transgendered Support Association) with speeches in the association’s events, participation in its social activities.

• Collaboration with OUTVIEW FESTIVAL (annual festival of queer and lgbt films) with the “right2love” documentary film and giving information about the group.

• Instituto Cervantes of Athens – Spanish Institute of Languages - (first public screening of “right2love” documentary film in the Athenian audience).

• Institut Français de Grèce - French Institute of Languages - (prologue of Mette Aakerholm Gardell’s “NOT A MAN INSIDE” documentary film. The film presents the life of lesbians in three phases with reference to three couples, a young couple, a married one that decides to have a child and an older one who chooses to spend the rest of their lives in the seaside village of Eressos, Mytilene Island.

• Co-operation with the African Women’s Union to fight sexism racism and gender violence

• Participation in the Anti-Racist Festival: A Festival organized by many collectives that are fighting against racism. The group had a table with leaflets and informative material and also participated in discussions and games for children.

• Athens Pride: the group is present with a table with leaflets and other material and also participates in the Pride Parade.

• Salonica Pride: Participation with informative material and games for children and at the Pride Parade.

• EUROPRIDE Marseille: Participation of four activists of our group that gave information about the so far activities of our group and handed out printed leaflets (after the invitation of French lesbian collectives.)

• Youth Festival of SYRIZA: Participation of the group at the invitation of the leftish LGBT group “KOKKINO” (RED) and the Gender Group’table of SYRIZA party with leaflets and informative discussions.

2. Non-institutional groups and collectives

• Back Classroom Desks "PISO THRANIA" (a group of teachers who teach voluntarily Greek to immigrants): workshop on stereotypes and prejudices about gender and how they can lead to discrimination and homophobia. How we work in an adult people’s classroom (the group requested to have a follow-up of the workshop)

• Homophobia in Education: a group of teachers, psychologists, psychiatrists and children’s professionals. Organizing joint activities and cooperating in issues that are related with the acceptance of our children at school.

• Women's Film-maker’s Collective :a new group of women having the aim to produce original film work. Cooperation in documentaries about our group’s activities like: The Celebration of Families Day with a five-minute documentary and the dramatized show of Whitie and Brownie (Asproulis and Kafetoula) children’s story.

• Unemployed designers / graphic designers: co-operation with unemployed LGBT graphic designers for the production of the group’s printed matter (poster and brochure for the Celebration of Families Day), illustration of a children’s fairytale that we are planning to publish.

• Collaboration with the theatre group “Xarin Paidias” (For The Game) and actor John Politaksi in the adaptation and presentation of Whitie and Brownie (Asprulis and Kafetoula) children’s story.

 • Initiative Against Homophobia of Xanthi (cooperation in the Initiative’s activities).

• Participation in ALTER SUMMIT event on 7 and 8 June, with Lesbian group of Athens,“Fylo Sykis” (Fig Tree Leave) and other feminist organizations against sexism and gender violence.

• Immigrants Meeting Place "STEKI METANASTON" and Children’s Playground: cooperation and participation in events and activities. (Collective kitchen, organizing activities for children, trade-off bazaar, spares bargain, social pharmacy, trade-off library etc.)

• EMPROS Theatre a self-managed theatrical space: co-operation in a queer festival workshop with texts about the different forms of families, cooperation protocol for the presentation of the team’s activities and events.

• Lesbian Group of Athens: participation in the group’s weekly meetings, events and participation in”Ntalika” fanzine editorial team.

• GITV (gay TV channel): participation in photo and video art exhibition with the video "Civil disobedience-nuclear family" a dramatized documentary and in a workshop for the writing of new stories for new families in art gallery/theatre VOLT

• 10% - online magazine for the LGBT community – presentation of the group and participation in workshops with Lyo Kalovirnas on "Motherhood - non-Motherhood"

3. Cooperation with Universities

• Collaboration with the Department of Theatre Studies, University of Peloponnese and Alkystis Kontoyianni, Head of the Department of Theatre Studies.

• Collaboration with Venetia Kantsa of the University of the Aegean, Department of Social Anthropology and History.

4. Meetings, information exchange and cooperation with foreign embassies and delegations in Greece

• Invitation for lunch at the Dutch Embassy in Athens on the occasion of International Day Against Homophobia, May 17^th.

• The Embassy of Sweden.

• With a delegation of MPs and activists from England and Ireland

• With activists from Italy: famiglie arcobaleno,rete genitori rainbow

• With activists from Russia for the liberation movement of Pussy Riot group from prison, Worldwide Reading on December 12,2012

• With students from U.S. universities studying LBGT politics, CIS abroad program.

5. Participation in foreign and European organizations

• We are members of Network of European LGBT Families Associations (NELFA), of the Italian Association of LGBT Parents FAMIGLIE ARCOBALENO and of LESBIAN CONNECTION USA

You can find us and our material at:

http://ouraniotoksofamilies.blogspot.gr/

and in our Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Οικογένειες-Ουράνιο-Τόξο

Οι Οικογένειες Ουράνιο Τόξο είναι μια αυτοδιαχειριζόμενη ομάδα LGBTQ (και όχι μόνο) γονέων που  οργανώνει συναντήσεις και δράσεις για να περνάμε καλά εμείς και τα παιδιά μας αλλά παράλληλα έχει ακτιβιστική δράση. Παρεμβαίνουμε όπου μπορούμε με στόχο κάποτε να αρθούν οι ανισότητες σε νομικό , κοινωνικό, εκπαιδευτικό κλπ  επίπεδο και όπου γίνεται καταπάτηση των δικαιωμάτων μας (παιδιών και γονιών)

Λίγο καιρό πριν οργανώσαμε στο πλαίσιο ενός διεθνούς project του international family equality day την γιορτή μας στο Πάρκο της Ακαδημίας Πλάτωνα.

Ταυτόχρονα οργανώνουμε workshop με σκοπό την παραγωγή κειμένων.

Σκεφτείτε πως είναι να μεγαλώνει κάποιος και να μη βλέπει ποτέ οικογένειες όπως η δική του σε κανένα βιβλίο, σε κανένα παραμύθι σε καμία ιστορία και πως τον κάνει να νιώθει αυτό.
Όλα τα παιδικά βιβλία δείχνουν οικογένειες που αποτελούνται ΜΟΝΟ από μια μαμά και έναν μπαμπά και τα παιδιά έχουν ανάγκη να δουν την ποικιλία των διαφόρων τύπων των οικογενειών. Έχουν την ανάγκη να δουν την οικογένειά τους να υπάρχει και αλλού εκτός από το ίδιο τους το σπίτι.
Το ζήτημα αυτό έχει σημασία όχι μόνο για τα ίδια τα παιδιά, αλλά και για όλους τους γύρω τους (φίλους, συμμαθητές, δασκάλους κλπ)

Ήδη το πρώτο μας εικονογραφημένο βιβλίο είναι έτοιμο για έκδοση (μας λείπει μόνο ο εκδότης) και θα μπορέσετε να το δείτε στο Athens Pride.

,ΓΕΝΙΚΑ ΕΙΜΑΙ ΠΟΛΥ ΑΙΣΙΟΔΟΞΗ ΓΙΑ ΤΟ ΜΕΛΛΟΝ, ΑΚΡΙΒΩΣ ΕΠΕΙΔΗ ΣΗΜΕΡΑ οι λεσβίες βγαίνουν ΑΠΟ ΤΙΣ ΝΤΟΥΛΑΠΕΣ ΤΟΥ ΦΙΛΙΚΟΥ ΠΕΡΙΒΑΛΛΟΝΤΟΣ, "φαίνονται", επιχειρούν, δημιουργούν περισσότερο, διακρίνονται και στον ακτιβισμό.
  Η πεποίθηση μερικών ότι οι λεσβίες είναι περισσότερο "της οικογένειας" και άρα επιζητούν περισσότερο (και είναι πιο "έτοιμες" από τους γκέι άντρες) ΓΙΑ το σύμφωνο ή το γάμο;
ΑΥΤΟ ΕΙΝΑΙ ΕΝΑ ΣΕΞΙΣΤΙΚΟ ΣΤΕΡΕΟΤΥΠΟ ΠΟΥ ΘΕΛΕΙ ΟΛΕΣ ΤΙΣ ΓΥΝΑΙΚΕΣ ΜΕ ΤΗΝ ΕΜΜΟΝΗ ΤΟΥ ΓΑΜΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΤΗΣ ΜΗΤΡΟΤΗΤΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΤΟΥΣ ΑΝΤΡΕΣ ΜΕ ΤΗΝ ΕΜΜΟΝΗ ΤΟΥ ΣΕΞ. ΕΜΕΙΣ ΛΕΜΕ ΟΤΙ Η ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΗ ΕΠΙΛΟΓΗ ΤΟΥ ΝΑ ΔΗΜΙΟΥΡΓΕΙΣ Ή ΝΑ ΜΗΝ ΔΙΜΙΟΥΡΓΕΙΣ ΜΙΑ ΝΕΟΤΕΡΗ ΟΙΚΟΓΕΝΕΙΑ ΕΙΝΑΙ ΒΑΣΙΚΟ ΑΝΘΡΩΠΙΝΟ ΔΙΚΑΙΩΜΑ ΠΟΥ ΑΥΤΗ ΤΗ ΣΤΙΓΜΗ ΣΕ ΜΕΡΙΚΕΣ ΧΩΡΕΣ ΥΠΑΡΧΕΙ ΚΑΙ ΣΕ ΑΛΛΕΣ ΣΤΕΡΕΙΤΑΙ, ΑΚΡΙΒΩΣ ΟΠΩΣ ΤΟ ΔΙΚΑΙΩΜΑ ΨΗΦΟΥ ΓΙΑ ΤΙΣ ΓΥΝΑΙΚΕΣ ΤΟΝ ΠΡΟΗΓΟΥΜΕΝΟ ΑΙΩΝΑ. ΤΑ ΠΑΙΔΙΑ ΜΑΣ ΤΑ ΛΕΝΕ ΕΞΩΓΑΜΑ, ΑΓΝΩΣΤΟΥ ΠΑΤΕΡΑ ΚΑΙ ΕΙΝΑΙ ΠΑΡΑΝΟΜΑ ΣΤΑ ΧΑΡΤΙΑ, ΠΡΟΣΒΑΛΛΟΝΤΑΙ ΣΤΟ ΣΧΟΛΙΚΟ ΠΕΡΙΒΑΛΛΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΔΕΝ ΤΟΥΣ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΡΙΖΟΥΝ ΤΟ ΒΑΣΙΚΟ ΑΝΘΡΩΠΙΝΟ ΔΙΚΑΙΩΜΑ ΝΑ ΔΗΛΩΣΟΥΝ 2 (Ή ΠΕΡΙΣΣΟΤΕΡΟΥΣ) ΓΟΝΕΙΣ. ΑΜΑ ΧΑΣΟΥΝ ΤΗΝ ΒΙΟΛΟΓΙΚΗ ΜΑΝΑ ΜΕΝΟΥΝ ΟΡΦΑΝΑ ΚΑΙ ΧΑΝΟΥΝ ΜΕ ΤΟ ΝΟΜΟ (ΠΟΥ ΔΕΝ ΤΑ ΠΡΟΣΤΑΤΕΥΕΙ) ΚΑΙ ΤΗΝ ΑΛΛΗ ΜΑΝΑ. 

 ΓΙΑ ΜΕΝΑ ΕΙΝΑΙ ΕΠΕΙΓΟΝ ΝΑ ΕΞΑΣΦΑΛΙΣΩ ΣΤΑ ΠΑΙΔΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΙΣΟΤΗΤΑ ΚΑΙ ΤΟ ΔΙΚΑΙΩΜΑ ΝΑ ΖΗΣΟΥΝ ΣΕ ΒΙΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΕΡΙΒΑΛΛΟΝ, ΧΩΡΙΣ ΔΙΑΚΡΙΣΕΙΣ, ΡΑΤΣΙΣΜΟ ΚΑΙ ΝΑΖΙΣΤΙΚΕΣ ΚΑΙ ΘΡΗΣΚΕΥΤΙΚΕΣ ΕΠΙΒΟΛΕΣ.

 ΤΟ ΠΙΟ ΑΠΑΡΑΔΕΚΤΟ ΣΤΕΡΕΟΤΥΠΟ ΓΙΑ ΤΙΣ ΛΕΣΒΙΕΣ ΕΡΧΕΤΑΙ ΑΠΟ ΤΟ "ΚΟΝΤΙΝΟ" ΜΑΣ ΑΝΔΡΟΚΡΑΤΟΥΜΕΝΟ ΦΑΝΤΑΣΙΑΚΟ ΧΩΡΟ: ΟΤΙ ΟΙ ΛΕΣΒΙΕΣ "ΕΙΝΑΙ ΠΑΡΘΕΝΕΣ ΚΑΙ ΜΙΣΟΥΝ ΤΟΥΣ ΑΝΤΡΕΣ, ΣΑΝ ΤΗ ΘΕΑ ΑΘΗΝΑ ", όπως επιχειρήθηκε αρχικά να γραφτεί στο φετινό κείμενο για το Πράιντ και με παρέμβαση των λεσβιών διορθώθηκε. 

ΧΑΡΙΣ ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΟΥ