Pat Carberry, FBU LGBT+ national secretary, reviews hte changes and challenges of half a century of protest against the perception that homosexuality is something to be ashamed of, and the reality of the situation today
1 July 2022 saw the 50th anniversary of the first ever Pride march in the United Kingdom. When the event first took place, the people participating could be counted in the hundreds. Now London Pride attracts an attendance of over a million.
The origins of the events title ‘Pride’ stem from what those original protesters aimed to achieve, to remove the social perception that homosexuality was something to be ashamed of.
London Pride was, and for many remains a protest although it has been hi-jacked by corporations who use it as a tool to promote and sell their products under the guise that it is a big party.
The trade union movement has played a significant role in supporting Pride throughout the decades and at one point the TUC were the largest contributor to support the event happening.
As a consequence of corporate sponsorship the trade union movement have been pushed further to the back of the parade and this has resulted in a total withdrawal by the TUC of funding for London Pride in favour of giving donations to smaller regional Pride events to support them.
The FBU have lead the way in fire service participation in London Pride. Over a quarter of a century ago it was our members who first decided to march in uniform identifying them as part of the fire service, the fire service employers were not so keen and some instructed our members not to wear uniform stating ‘it’s not something the service wants to be associated with’.
Our members defied the ban and marched loud and proud to be members of the service and LGBT+.
Services quickly realised they were missing a trick as Pride was a rare opportunity to access the needs of the LGBT+ community and now we work together to make the event inclusive for all.
As a result of the bravery of those who first took to the streets of London, the Pride movement has grown throughout our nation with many smaller regional events being part of the regular annual calendar.
Pride is not just an event for LGBT+ people to attend and participate in, it is open for everyone who supports, accepts and respects those who identify as LGBT+.
Some may feel that we no longer need to celebrate Pride but unfortunately the need is as much alive as it was 50 years ago. In 2015 the United Kingdom was ranked the highest in Europe to being LGBT+ progressive but by last year had fallen to 14th place.
There remain many challenges for our community and rights that have been hard fought for are constantly under attack.
For me as a gay man, Pride remains an important event. It is one of the few days of the year I can walk down a street holding the hand and sharing a kiss with my partner of twenty years without fear of verbal or physical assault.
That remains the reality for so many of our community, the simple everyday things others take for granted can still come at considerable risk for us.
