New public meeting to pose the question: ‘Whose Pride is it?’

Pride London 2015 was a fabulous day in the centre of our capital city. We know that to keep Pride free costs lots of money and of course it’s good news that big companies want to sponsor it – but what did the banks do for LGBT people when we weren’t as acceptable as we are today? Has Pride become a vast advert for corporate business, or should it belong to the LGBT communities?

These questions and more will be posed at ‘Whose Pride is it?’, a public meeting to be held at Congress House in London on  Wednesday September 23.

2015 was the 30th anniversary of Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners but they and the trade unions ended up half way back, replaced by Barclays, Citibank and Starbucks. If you saw the film Pride you’ll have seen how LGSM helped achieve a solidarity that led directly to winning the equal rights we have today. The trade unions were part of that. When unions fight for rights for working people, that includes LGBT people as part of our whole diverse community. But being able to get married doesn’t mean the end of the prejudice, discrimination, hate crime, homelessness still faced by many. We have not yet won true equality.

Pride should not only celebrate our victories and our freedoms, it must also keep up the fight and it must represent us all – not just those with loads of money. If you agree, come to the public meeting to discuss how to win Pride back and make it more accountable to LGBT people.

Let’s return Pride London to the community! Come and discuss how with Peter Tatchell, Phyll Opoku-Gyimah (UK Black Pride), Nicola Field (LGSM), David Sharkey (SERTUC) and Maria Exall (TUC LGBT committee).

info: Whose Pride Is It? Public meeting at Congress House, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3LS. 6:30-8pm Wednesday 23 September.