On April 6, there will be another March for Life in Prague. The organizers have learned from the past years, no longer openly declaring their true agenda (which includes banning abortions) or presenting the parade as a religious event or a march with crosses representing "murdered children". Outwardly, the march is a celebration of the family where parents can eat hot dogs and the kids express their thanks for not getting aborted and where they call on the government to provide better financial support for parents. After all, a number of politicians – regardless of their affiliation with the current cabinet or the opposition – regularly attend the event. But…

Undearneath this charade lie fundamentalist views and an insidious attempt at social manipulation. The event is organized by Hnutí pro život (Movement for Life), an extremely active Czech lobbying group. Although they make relatively frequent media appearances, most of their work happens quietly – they go around the parliament with their agenda and use their sympathizers inside parties ranging from ANO to ODS and KDU-ČSL to make allies for their seemingly neutral pro-family politics, while their eyes remain firmly fixed on the goal of puritanical restrictions. The chairman of the Movement, Radim Ucháč, summed it up a few years ago: "banning abortion (…) is only ten percent of what we want".

It wasn't so long ago that Movement for Life was publishing books labeling gay men and lesbians as "perverts" or promoting the brainwashing of people to "reeducate" them into heterosexuality. Not so long ago, either, the leading faces of the Movement took part in the fight against facts-based sex education in schools, they were part of an organisation that displayed drastic pictures discouraging abortion in front of schools or they went to conferences in Moscow to listen to speeches by Putin's old cronies about "protecting traditional families" from "gender ideology".

In short, the Movement for Life is part of well-funded political networks here and abroad which oppose the rights of queer people and responsible solutions to gender-based violence and which have spent years creating rifts within society. The fact that the movement successfully speaks to elected representatives, rents a lot of advertising space and runs a supposed helpline for unexpectedly pregnant people under the (downright cynical) slogan "We don't judge, we help" does not change what "for life" means to them.

This is "life" modeled on the United States, where conservatives force teenage victims of rape to carry to term and give birth to fetuses. Where, following the example set by Russia, any mention of the existence of queer people is persecuted. Where the important things in real life – family and children – are taken hostage by extreme religious ideology and the simple struggle for power.

We will not let such a group pass through Prague! As in previous years, we will be in the streets on the day of the march and will work together to non-violently block it. For the right to bodily autonomy, for the rights of queer people, for the rights of children, families and for life. They will not pass!

Anarchistická federace
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Kolektiv 115
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6 April 2024, Malostranské náměstí, 12.00

20.3.2024 AF

Gender Z domova Akce