by Ian Carter-Chapman – Director for Speakup CIC
There are days which you'd gladly relive all over again, and Saturday was most certainly one of them. The omens weren't good as rain fell from overcast skies as the Gay Forum boarded a commodious coach around Thanet before hitting the motorways in the direction of our destination - Brighton!
By the time we reached the flower bed with its floral "welcome" letters at the entrance to the city-by-the-sea, the rain had given way to blue skies and sunshine was illuminating the streets that were beginning to fill with hundreds of gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and trans (LGBT) folk, their families, friends and supporters, and from our chosen spot opposite the former Astoria Cinema, we were in a prime position to enjoy a front row view of what was to follow - the Pride Parade.
Cosmopolitan Brighton has a very large LGBT population, and nineteen years ago, Pride in its present form began as a reaction to the Government's Section 28 legislation, which prohibited the so-called promotion of homosexuality in schools, etc. Awarded charitable status in 2004, the organisation promotes equality and diversity, and aims to advance education to eliminate discrimination against the LGBT community, as well as award financial grants towards other charitable and voluntary groups working with LGBT people.
The annual summer parade and festival is really the culmination of their work, and when the parade takes to the streets, it literally stops the traffic. Excitement and cheers filled the air as hundreds passed us by on spectacularly decorated floats; pedestrians in glitzy, breathtaking attire (or lack of it!), LGBT police officers and other public service workers, "out and proud" in their uniforms; and our friends at Mind Out (Brighton's LGBT mental health group) on a vintage double deck bus. The theme for this year's parade, chosen by a local gay bar, was "Out of this World" - and it really was!
We followed the rainbow procession up to Preston Park, where we joined the already-lengthy queues to gain entry to the festival event. It really was worth the wait, with entertainment aplenty, and we could choose to visit the many community and commercial stalls, defy gravity at the funfair, boogie in the massive dance tent, be entertained in the cabaret or women's performance tent , or simply sit on the grass in the sunshine and lap up the glorious atmosphere. At some point, we all found our way to the oasis of peace in the Access Tent, thoughtfully provided by the Federation of Disabled Persons, where we could chill out before heading back into the throngs.
For me, the highlight of Brighton Pride was seeing veteran drag star Maisie Trollett take to the stage. Now in his late 70's, her alter ego David Raven has entertained at each Brighton Pride, and yet the raptous reception to his appearance remains undiminshed - Brighton loves "their" Maisie and he loves them! For some, it was seeing chart-topping pop favourite Alexandre Burke live and in person on the main stage, where the huge crowd had joined 80's legend Sonia in singing out "I Am What I Am" earlier in the day. For others, it was just being there, among so many other LGBT people, where you felt in the majority for once, far from being "the only gay in the village" to coin a catchphrase. And bearing in mind that there are still inequalities - such as no gay marriage, for example - homophobia and assaults sadly remain a part of LGBT life and, especially relevant to our group, high suicide rates within the LGBT community, days like this are empowering, uplifting and life affirming. The posters advertising Brighton Pride proclaimed it "a celebration of LGBT lives" - it certainly was all that and more.
And so, in the words of the song, it was "time to say goodbye" to Brighton Pride 2011, and we headed for home. A huge thank you from us all to Maggie and Amanda for all their hard work and perseverance in overcoming the hiccups enroute to this special trip; to Porchlight for generously hiring us such comfortable transport; to Chris and Carol Peters Travel for making our journey such a safe and pleasant one; to Brighton Pride for their kind donation of entrance wristbands, making it accessible to those of us on benefits; and to everyone involved with Pride in Brighton and Hove for the hours of hard work in organising and undertaking such an incredible event.
Twenty years ago this year, I "came out" as a gay man. Twenty one years ago, I was seriously considering suicide as I couldn't cope with my depression, anxiety and breakdowns, and with being gay. Saturday's trip made me glad I stayed.
