National pride

This article explores the relations between cultural heritage, gender, and national belonging. Using heritage as a perspective to these dynamics in Bulgaria, I examine interactions national-populist actors that challenge core of liberal democracy, LGBT+ movement which counters xenophobic exclusionary politics. In particular, study focuses on tenth edition Sofia Pride march held 2017 instrumentalized elements traditional masked mumming fused them with international queer symbolics for its visual identity communicational campaign. National folklore was thus reclaimed performatively contest ethnonationalist heteronormative discourses assert more inclusive understanding strategic reinterpretation masquerade revealed some persistent societal divides materialized through hostile reactions far-right parties other conservative circles. Following this opposition, paper sheds light local entanglements global illiberal wave anti-gender mobilizations, while additionally provides attuned contextualization Bulgarian terrain. It further emphasizes empirical epistemological implications gendered both establishment resistance boundaries.