After Save the Children in Bergen announced that they would organise a Pride festival for children in Nygårdsparken on 4 June, many have reacted negatively. Redd Barna responds to the reactions as follows: “LGBTI rights are also children’s rights. That’s why we celebrate Pride – with pride.”

On 10 May, Save the Children in Bergen published this invitation on Facebook:

Do you want to help create a fun and inclusive festival for families with children during Pride in Bergen? Redd Barna organises a free festival for families with children on 4 June in Nygårdsparken. The festival will be full of play and fun, rainbows and a good atmosphere! We need volunteers who can contribute during the festival with practical tasks, such as rigging, well-being guards and help with food delivery. Send us a PM if you want to join ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜 https://facebook.com/events/s/pride-barnefestival/2777775325698724/

The invitation caused many negative reactions, not least in the comments section. Here is an excerpt from one of the last ones:

… People are worried about their children and with good reason. In this woke age, all possible forms of mental pillows are sewn under the arms of absolutely all weak individuals. But it’s not always the best.

Sometimes people actually just need to hear that “you have a horn, you’re a boy”. And then you have to learn to live with it. You cannot give children hormones and cut off their limbs for “mental health”. Every adult and especially every parent should understand that.

… The fear that the children have “pride for children” is scary and a sign of a society in decline.

On Monday evening, Save the Children nationally confirmed its support for the event in Bergen. Inge Alexander Gjestvang, head of FRI – the Association for Gender and Sexuality Diversity, which is co-organiser of the Pride festival in Bergen, thanked for the support:

Thank you to Save the Children for taking up the fight for absolutely all children’s rights – and for being able to stand in the storm and respond in unison again and again despite the distasteful and disgusting level that some go to. Those of us who are queer have also been children and young people, and we need children’s rights organisations that are as crystal clear as Save the Children. Thanks!

Screenshot: Facebook

FRI is the organisation that organises Bergen Pride, which states on its own website that it is the country’s second largest Pride event, with over 90,000 participants.