Members of the Requeer association have commissioned a work of art that honours their activism and celebrates the presence and visibility of queer communities in Réunion.
Opened in December 2021, the Indian Ocean LGBTQIA+ Centre is the first community space of its kind within the French overseas territories. Its mission is to foster and strengthen exchanges with regional counterparts, addressing the specific challenges faced by queer communities in these island contexts. The Centre aspires to make Réunion a beacon in the Indian Ocean, promoting equality and defending the right of everyone to live openly and authentically, in collaboration with civil society across neighbouring archipelagos and islands. A place of prevention, community culture and support for LGBTQIA+ people, the Centre — also the focal point of the Pride March launched in Réunion in 2021— was rapidly developing. However, during the night of 20 February 2023, it was targeted in a homophobic attack.
The premises were set on fire and the walls defaced with the words “Fags not welcome”, daubed in blood-red paint. Among the damage was a library rich in queer literature on sexuality and gender, which was partially destroyed by the flames.
The members of the Requeer association, who initiated the creation of the LGBT+ Centre, wish to turn this act of violence into an opportunity to reaffirm the values of acceptance and respect for difference that lie at the heart of LGBTQIA+ movements. To this end, they have commissioned an artist to create an artwork that both highlights and celebrates their activism and gives greater visibility to queer communities in Réunion. The commissioners have also expressed the desire that this project contribute to the training of mediators for the Nouveaux commanditaires initiative within the Réunionese territory.
