Waxing lyrical

Kate Wildblood

Tuesday, 15 July 2008

My Pa has always asked “why Pride?” What have we (us “queers” when he’s feeling less enlightened) got to be proud about and why for god's sake (he's strictly an Old Testament man) do we have to parade it? As Pride pre-active as I am I find it hard to answer his bigot fuelled question. Why Pride indeed? Is the buzz I get on Brighton Pride morning to do with being gay or connected to the bassline coming up through the grass of Preston Park?

It doesn’t seem that long ago that I was with the AIDS aware and affected few - marching to an accompaniment of spitting and name-calling. That Pride was once a Level gathering, braving the elements of homophobia in this city of mine. Fast forward the years and the bigots are still at it - placards and all - accosting the paraders and bullying them via on-line blogs. And yet Prides across the UK have never seemed less political than they are now.

Where's the fire in our bellies? Where's the passion for rights and equality? Is it strictly limited to our indignance at loo queues, overpriced burgers and sold out tickets? Inspired by those rioting Stonewall drag queens in 1969 and the subsequent creation of the Gay Liberation Movement, are the core Pride principals of rights, equality and community being lost beneath a sea of parties, profit and personalities?

For this Wildblood, who loves nothing more than our "gay Xmas day", a little outward thinking is prescribed. A moment out of the personal. (I’m as guilty as the next queer of losing my pride beneath the aforementioned parties, profit and personalities.) A thought, for instance, for Pride marchers in Budapest running the gauntlet of homophobes, whose gay venues have been listed by bigots (two bars have already been firebombed) and who needed police protection for the 20 Mr Gay Europe finalists. For the 80 or so countries where homosexuality is still illegal.

Maybe that's what I’ll tell my old man next time the conversation turns to Pride. I'm proud because I can be - because others can't. By flying a flag, marching in a parade, dancing in a tent or holding hands with my missus in the street I'm expressing solidarity. A solidarity I may really only be able to show by playing tunes, but what the hell, I'm gonna sing loud when 'Pride A Deeper Love' kicks in. Won't you join me?

www.hrw.org/doc/?t=lgbt
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