Jönköping University in this year's Pride Parade
Jönköping Pride Week took place from 18 to 24 August, with rainbow flags flying all over the city. The Pride flag also flew at Jönköping University (JU) during the week, which ended with the Pride Parade and a party in Rådhusparken on Saturday 23 August.
“What a great group we were from JU. Staff and students together. In the name of love for human rights against dark forces, and of course we had fun,” said Michael Sjökvist, lecturer at the School of Health and Welfare at Jönköping University (JU).
Michael Sjökvist, lecturer at the School of Health Sciences at Jönköping University (JU), thought it was a wonderful group from JU that participated in the Pride parade.
JU has a tradition of joining the parade, and this year, nearly 100 people, including both students and staff, participated. Most of the students were international, and many of them had arrived in Jönköping earlier in the week. This was the 12th year that JU participated in the Pride Parade, and the initiative came from the staff.
The atmosphere in the parade was fantastic, and some of those participating in high spirits were counsellors Ann-Louice Jorikson, Marie Böwing-Lindström and Victoria Wendel from Student Health Services.
“We think it's wonderful to see such great commitment from JU,” all three said during the parade.
Pride in how far JU has come
Sofia Nodén, librarian at JU, was delighted with the large turnout from both staff and students.
Some of the employees have participated in all twelve Pride Parades that JU has taken part in. One of them is Susanna Anderstraf, university lecturer in teacher education and doctoral student in pedagogy at the School of Education and Communication.
"In 2013, the student association Spectra and I bought a Pride flag. It met with resistance, some even thought the flag was too political, but we didn't give up. In the end, it was hoisted on its own flagpole. When I look back, I feel proud of how far we have come today," she says.
"Rights that we have long taken for granted are now under threat, and the LGBTQI community is particularly vulnerable. It is natural for me to show solidarity and stand up for everyone's equal right to love and the right to be themselves. I am very happy about the great support from both staff and students,” says Sofia Nodén, librarian at JU's library.
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