My Pride Experience

Every June, the LGBTQ+ population and their allies come together to celebrate and recognise the influence LGBTQ+ people have had around the world. In the UK people talk about Pride month and many events and parades are held around the country. Many of the events can seem like parties and celebrations but they also highlight challenges faced by LGBTQ+ people.

My first pride event was in 1980, in London and it was a march – a protest march but also a celebration of being LGBTQ+. It was still illegal for me to have sex with another man as I was under 21 years old and gay men were frequently harassed and arrested by the police, but this felt like the one day when I could hold hands with another man and even kiss him without fear of being arrested!

A lot has changed since then, but not without the hard work and campaigning by the LGBTQ+ community and support from allies. Many organisations like Stonewall, Outrage, ACTUP and London Lesbian and Gay switchboard where I was a volunteer for a decade in the 1980s and 1990s worked for that change.

But this year we have seen an increase in hostility toward LGBTQ+ people; intense negative media and public debate, particularly around trans people, has led to increases in hate crimes and a higher level of fear. We have all has come a long way since the Stonewall Riots of 1969 in New York, but with the UK slipping down to 15th place in the Rainbow Europe Map, we clearly need to continue to raise awareness, challenge negative attitudes, and celebrate inclusiveness.

Wishing everyone a happy Pride!

Tim Bishop