It was wild, wet and windy but the weather didn’t appear to have dampened the spirits of the thousands who were out for Brighton Pride today (Saturday 5 August).
Even the lack of trains to and from Brighton couldn’t stop the party – or the parade which made its way from Hove Lawns to Preston Park.
This year’s Pride marks 50 years since the first “Brighton Gay Pride march” organised by the Sussex Gay Liberation Front in July 1973.
Beforehand, Councillor Leslie Pumm, who chairs the council’s Equalities, Community Safety and Human Rights Committee, said: “We wish everyone a safe and happy Pride, in spite of the weather!
“As one of the key events in our city’s cultural and community calendar, months of planning goes in to Pride.
“As always, we’re working alongside the Pride organisers, as well as emergency services to plan for a colourful and safe weekend.
“Pride is a celebration of our LGBTQI+ residents and visitors. It is also a protest and a reminder that we have much more to do to achieve equality for all.
“Brighton and Hove is the LGBTQI+ capital of the UK – that’s who we are and who we’re proud to be.
“This year’s ‘Dare to be Different’ theme is a call to remember the original protest roots of Pride in the city while encouraging the continued fight for equality for all.
“We join Pride in celebrating the trailblazers who held the first protest march in the 50 years ago.”
With various road closures, bus services were also affected. Trains resume tomorrow (Sunday) with a queuing system due to be in place at Brighton station from 4am.
Brighton and Hove City Council said: “We’re working over the weekend to keep on top of litter and cleaning. Please help by recycling and disposing of your rubbish responsibly.
“We’re putting out 120 extra rubbish and recycling bins along the central seafront and Hove Lawns, as well as in in Valley Gardens, London Road and Dyke Road Drive. Please use them.
“Following a busy weekend, it may take a few days to catch up with cleaning in the city centre – please bear with us.”
“Shiny sparkly” things are usually worthless cheap distractions.
“Pride” needs an urgent rebranding exercise to include the groups that were historically their persecuters ie. Christians and the “mental health” services or there will inevitably be a nasty backlash as always happens to “transgressive” at times of war, especially this very brutal culture war.
I would much rather “they” kept the moral high ground and accepted that rainbow washing, like green washing, is being used by the most greedy and intolerant people in society (the world!) to divide and conquer our relatively amazing tolerant city, culture and country.