May 1st
Traditionally, in Sweden, the working classes demonstrate today, on May 1st, and I have very strong, and fond, memories from my childhood of this day. Walking across my home town, holding red banners, listening to speeches and musicians playing… it’s a day of hope and inspiration; it’s a day when people come together literally to remind ourselves that we can and want to come together symbolically, today and every day, to make a difference and improve the society that we all live in.
And today, the 1st of May 2014, it’s more important than ever that we do just that. (It’s election year this year, and just like a lot of other European countries, the extreme right has been growing steadily, racism has been flourishing. Last election, a racist party made its way into parliament, and hopefully we’ll kick them out again this year.)
As a kid, I wore red and carried red banners; and although my heart will always be on the left, today it’s a pink day! See you in the F! sections, fellow Stockholm feminists! Ut med rasisterna, in med feministerna!