Saturday in London celebrated the 50th anniversary of the first pride parade and made half a century of progress in the battle for equality and tolerance, but more needs to be done. There was a warning.
Hundreds of people attended on July 1, 1972, in the first March, just five years after homosexuality was criminalized in the United Kingdom.
Fifty years later, over 600 LGBTQ + groups danced, sang, and rode their first pride since the coronavirus pandemic, floating along a route similar to the original protest. ..
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan told reporters about the event. It was a celebration of community, unity and progress.
But he also said that he reminds us of the need to "camp and never be self-satisfied" and "an open, inclusive, accepting world."
"Last week, an attack in Oslo a few hours before the parade killed two people and injured more than 20," he said.
"So you need to be aware of the fact that this community of discrimination, prejudice and violence is still dangerous."
Boris Johnson, Khan's predecessor as mayor "It gave him the greatest pride to lead a country where you can love the one you choose to love and free the one you want to be," the Prime Minister said. ..
The 50th anniversary is a "milestone" and he said in honor of the courage of those who did it first.
Veteran gay rights activist Peter Tatchell, who participated in the 1972 march, boycotted a modern sponsored version as "depoliticized and commercialized" by some of the original events. Said.
Campaign
Many gay men and women, as was known at the time of "Gay Pride" in 1972. Visibility and equality were sought against the backdrop of prolonged prejudice, discrimination, and fear of emergence among them.
In the 1980s, pride became the focus of a campaign against legislation by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's conservative government against "promoting homosexuality" at school.
It also helped raise awareness and support for people with HIV / AIDS.
Tatchell said, "We are still fighting to ban LGBT + conversion practices that seek to change a person's sexual orientation and gender identity, despite victories such as same-sex marriage. I will. "
"We are still fighting to ensure that transgender people have the right to easily modify legal documents by a simple statutory declaration. Of course, we are LGBT + worldwide. We are in solidarity with the movement, "he told AFP.
Julian Howes, now 67, was the first march. "Progress is always gradual," he said, criticizing restrictions on LGBTQ + rights around the world.
"We must be vigilant. The price of liberation and keeping people's human rights intact is vigilance," he added.
Visibility
Padley Ginni Raghirig, President of Dykes on Bike London, a motorcycle club for gay women, It is part of the original campaign spirit that stated that the event was retained.
I think it's still important to go out at least once a year and say, "We're here, we're weird and we're not going shopping." "Across Harley-Davidson, Ni Raghirig said.
Among those marches was a delegation from Ukraine who criticized Russia's homosexual aversion.
This year. In his pride, he was warned to keep people with symptoms of monkey pox away. Public health officials said many cases were reported among gay and bisexual men in the UK.
LGBTQ + Campaign Group Stonewall said everyone has a role to play in stopping the spread of monkey pox through close contact regardless of sexual orientation. .