OUR COMMUNITY

I am 31 years old and of Malian nationality. I was born in a large family, my father (may he rest in peace) had married 4 women and I have several brothers and sisters. I have a DUT in Finance and Accounting and a Master in Management / Business Creation. In my country, there is no legislation that condemns or protects homosexuality, it is the family and society that decide the life of homosexuals, with persecutions, violence, humiliations, death threats of which I was victim. Leaving was the only solution to save my life, to have some freedom and security. I arrived in France in 2016 and I was lucky enough to come across the right people and the right associations, which helped me a lot to assume my sexuality and to integrate into the lgbtqi+ community in France, especially in Marseille. Today I assume my sexuality, in freedom and security, even if our rights are not often respected. Thank you to all the LGBTQI+ communities.

My name is Stan and I am 20 years old. Originally from China, I lived in Madagascar until I was 18. I study psychology. I am genderfluid and my pronouns are he/she, with an attraction to men. I discovered my homosexuality in high school, I had to wait until my senior year to feel ready to come out. I had the support of a queer friend, which helped me a lot. My coming out to my parents was accidental and did not go well. My mother caught my boyfriend and me kissing, which she didn't accept at all. She distanced herself from me for a long time. Against all expectations, my father reacted better, although he did not approve of it. He tried to understand me and help me feel loved, regardless of my sexuality. Thanks to him, I was able to assume myself and accept who I am. Last year in Marseille, I participated for the first time in the Pride. The life of an LGBT person is not easy, but it is worth living. Showing up as you are can be difficult and it can bring you problems at times that can be hard to take. Feeling good about yourself will get you through any challenge. I am proud to represent Pride Marseille this year and to tell others to look us in the eye without shame.

I was born in 2001 in Aubagne. Being of Greek and Guinean origin has allowed me to have two beautiful cultures to discover. I had the chance to travel and live abroad, especially for 7 years in Scotland. I am proud to be the young woman I am today, simple, kind and always with a smile. In life we all have dreams and passions. But I was able to understand that by thinking differently, by transforming the words "dreams" and "passions" into "goals", everything was possible. My goals are film, photography, journalism, fashion, music and social networking. In fact, I like everything in art, but cinema is the thing that makes me and will always make me vibrate.

Arrived in Marseille two years ago. Radical change of life. 57 years old, mixed race, skirt and underpants runner. Outsider artist and sophrologist.
To look straight into the eyes of all those who have a problem with my son, a transgender man, who has the courage to be himself and who has fought with perseverance to assume his identity.
To be upright in my boots to confront those who prevent me from being free to be myself. To fight for a world where everyone has a place. To walk with my head held high, proud. To feel legitimate, whoever we are.

I'm Lois, I'm a hormonal and omnisexual trans man, I'm 18 years old. I'm currently in high school, studying applied art/graphics. When I was a minor, I was taken in charge in psychiatry, the nursing staff, very little informed on the question of transidentity did not take into account my feelings, my requests. Some of them tried to convince me that it didn't exist and that it was surely an illusion due to my illness, which is clearly not the case. When I was 13 years old, I identified myself as genderfluid, I had many questions. I came across someone who was interested in sexually assaulting me, I could not file a complaint against this person for fear of reprisals and not being listened to by law enforcement. Today, I am better, I am out of psychiatry, I have the chance to be better surrounded. I have a part of my family that accepts or tolerates my transidentity and my sexual orientation, I am in a high school that also accepts this part of me quite well. You have to try to keep hope alive.
I would like to thank the association Transat for helping me to have access to the resources and information I needed, thank you for their support. I would also like to thank Pride Marseille for allowing me to express myself in this post and to be one of the faces of their communication campaign.

My name is Khaled, I'm 19 years old but you probably know me as Aria jhons, yes that fabulous drag queen. I'm going to tell you my story and especially make you understand that you should never give up in life!
I grew up in Algeria, in a city which ironically is called Mascara, the destiny had planned everything... I came to live in France at 6 years old, everything changed for me, no more friends, a new language, a new landscape, I got used to it... But people did not, the harassment started because I am very thin, very shy and close to girls. So I decided to create Aria, an extravagant heroine! Who is not afraid and who will come to save me!
In middle school comes hell! More harassment and it became too much. Life was too hard to live, I tried to stop there. My attempt failed, fortunately, because I would never have been able to realize all this. I came out at 16, after having several girlfriends and yes, I was a stud! But I had a hard time accepting the idea. I grew up in religion and in a homophobic world, so being gay was impossible for me. I decided to leave and become independent, right after the first confinement and there! BAM LIBERATION, I discovered the drag universe and I said to myself, in reality Aria is me, I am going to incarnate her!
Today, I see where I am, I say to myself WOW! Two years ago I was still the young boy harassed, badly in his skin and that nobody calculated. When I look at myself in the eyes, behind my made up eyes, I have become someone who is proud of himself in spite of this society, because I fought and I believed. So life goes on, don't stop, I'm here with you.