GRASSROOTS PRIDES: WHY NOW?
{For anyone not familiar with the terminology, LGBTQIA refers to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and Asexual individuals. In this essay, I will often shorten this to LGBTQ and I will also use the word queer as an umbrella term to encompass all of those who identify as LGBTQIA.}
My name is Dominique Holmes, my pronouns are they/them. I am an artist, tattooer, writer and activist. I am also co-director of Forest Gayte Pride; a grassroots community Pride event in my East London neighbourhood in Newham. Over the last few years FG Pride has grown from a single market stall and a queer night in a local pub to an organised Community Interest Company. Along with my co-directors Rob DesRoches and Caron Harrison, we work within our community on events and functions to promote and engage in educational, cultural and civic activities in order to enrich the lives of LGBTQIA+ people in Newham and beyond.
Our primary aim is to give a voice to LGBTQIA+ residents of Newham through events and education; creating a platform for the queer community to speak out and express themselves in a safe, inclusive space, during pride and beyond. We work to create a safe and welcoming environment within the community for those at risk, in particular the marginalised members of Newham, offering help, advice and support to those who need it, as well as educating and engaging with the allies who want to stand by the LGBTQIA+ community.
Forest Gayte Pride is not a standalone event these days. In 2020, more than 160 Pride events were scheduled to take place across the UK, highlighting the growing trend, and demand, for independent Pride events in the queer community. I’m here today to discuss how and why this is happening, and what that means for Pride, and for the LGBTQ+ community moving forward.
To properly understand the importance of Pride, we must understand the origins of Pride. The roots of Pride as a movement go back to the now - infamous Stonewall Riots of June 1969. The Stonewall Inn was a mafia-run bar in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village, that served as a safe space for the marginalised LGBTQ+ community. Police raids on bars like the Stonewall Inn had become commonplace in the 60s, with LGBTQ+ people experiencing continued harassment, victimisation and police brutality. Riots such as those between police and the Trans community at Comptons Cafeteria in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district a few years previously were a sign of growing tensions and a collective anger from this marginalised community who were ready to rise up. So when police raided the Stonewall Inn on the early hours of June 28 1969, they found a queer resistance that would not stand down for 6 days.
The riots received widespread media attention, and would go on to encourage protests and activism to emerge throughout the world in support of this movement. It’s important to remember that prior to the riots, many organisations that represented the lesbian and gay communities such as the Mattachine Society were seen as ‘homophile advocates’ - their main objective was to demonstrate that gay and lesbian people were “normal” and could assimilate into a heteronormative society. The Stonewall riots smashed this line, and the ensuing queer uprising began to openly align with the more confrontational counter-culture movements that were sweeping the world. Gay, lesbian and gender non-conforming people were compelled to action, establishing organisations, publishing manifestos and papers, all with a very clear intent of being visibly queer.
On the first anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, the first Pride marches took place, as the LGBTQ+ communities across New York, Los Angeles and Chicago held events in commemoration of the call to action a year before. Over the next couple of years, Marches were held in Boston, Dallas, Milwaukee, London, Paris, West Berlin and Stockholm as Pride became a global movement in the fight for equal rights for LGBTQ+ people.
The first Pride protest in London took place in 1972. Organised by the Gay Liberation Front, which was founded in 1970 in response to the Stonewall Riots, less than 1000 protesters bravely took part in the revolutionary event, risking arrest and assault amongst hostile surroundings.
These descriptions of riots and protests are a far cry from the rainbow filled processions we associate with Pride 50 years on. So we have to look at how Pride as a concept, and an event, has evolved over these years.
As the fight for equal rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans people grew louder and more intense throughout the 70s and 80s, so we saw Pride marches become a focal point to draw attention to these battles.
Queers would march with banners and signs protesting against the discrimination they still faced, asserting their own identities which were often still criminalised, marginalised and judged. Pride was a political movement, and it became synonymous with support for social and political issues. In 1981, Pride relocated from London to Huddersfield as an act of solidarity with Yorkshire’s gay community who were experiencing harassment at the hands of the police. In 1984, the alliance Lesbian and Gays Support the Miners formed in support of the striking National Union of Mineworkers, who would go onto become important allies to the LGBTQ+ community.
The introduction of Section 28 in 1988 and the AIDS and HIV epidemic saw a huge increase in numbers taking part to protest the rollback of acceptance of queer identity, as well as the very real dangers to the health and lives of gay individuals. Pride was still a place for protest; the sort of protest we no longer experience at Pride in London.
And here is where we start to recognise some of the important factors in the devolution of Pride, and the desire for something new and meaningful.
As The main message behind and around Pride has changed over the years from one of protest and politics to love and celebration, the participants have seemingly gone from marginalised to mainstream. Pride has become big business, and Many people within queer communities no longer feel a connection to the movement, nor do they feel represented, included, or welcome.
When you ask your average person in the street what Pride mean to them, you’re almost certainly more likely to hear words like ‘rainbows’ or ‘parades’ than ‘protest’ or ‘gay rights’. This is a sign that we are losing the original meaning behind Pride to a sea of commercialism and pink-washing, which has taken Pride from an act of radical protest against brutality, violence and discrimination to a sea of carnival street parties to a pop soundtrack and overflowing bars wrapped up in rainbow packaging with a quirky gay pun thrown in there. The commercialisation of Pride brings with it multiple issues and concerns for the queer community.
Hypocrisy of Pride sponsors has become a big talking point recently, and is often a key issue for those who object to the commercialisation of the events.
In 2018, Budweiser sponsored both Pride in NYC, and the World Cup in Russia - a country known for it’s state-sanctioned homophobia and extreme violence against queer people. Facebook sponsored 2019’s Pride in London despite an ongoing campaign against their ‘real name’ policy which discriminated against Trans individuals who were unable to move on from their deadname.
Comedian Joe Lycett famously called out Pride in London sponsor Barclays for flying its rainbow flags here in the UK whilst trading in countries where homosexuality is still illegal, and Primark was questioned over it’s Pride themed ranges considering it’s history of sweatshop manufacturing in countries that do not consider or acknowledge basic human rights of queer people. Joe Lycett, like many others in the queer community, felt it time to raise the issue of the lack of work these companies actually do in the fight for equality across the world, while they’re exploiting the queer community in the UK for a profit.
Pride in London’s sponsorship revenue hit £650k in 2019, as the march has become dominated by corporate floats and endorsements from giant corporations such as Tesco and Coca Cola. As these multi-million pound brands pay thousands to fill the procession with their temporarily rainbow painted logos and carefully crafted sales pitches, members of the LGBTQ+ community often find themselves pushed aside or rejected.
The Outside Project - a charity which works with LGBTQIA+ homeless individuals to provide shelter and support - raised the issue of the lack of inclusivity and accessibility in Pride in London. Last year, The charity found themselves unable to join the march after organisers told them they needed to make their bus more ‘visibly nice’. This is despite the fact that the bus itself is the first LGBTQIA+ homeless shelter in the UK. Not only is the bus a safe space for numerous displaced queer people, but the charity simply could not afford to decorate it for one procession. They were told they could march instead, wearing matching shirts and face paints to ‘blend together’, only to be denied wristbands on request. After this difficulty and rejection, they joined up with other marginalised queer community groups including Lesbians and Gays Support the Migrants and African Rainbow Family to hold an anti-corporate gathering, making political speeches in an attempt at queering Pride, before marching at the back of the procession.
There is also a growing concern within the LGBTQ+ community around the complacency that this commercialised Pride has encouraged. As the political content around Pride has diminished, there is a feeling of apathy around queer causes and rights. As there is a lack of information and education at these events, so it translates that there must be no need for this. The general misconception is that because we now have equal marriage, there’s nothing left to fight for. Now that a million people turn up waving rainbow flags at a passing procession, LGBTQ people must have been accepted into society. The danger is that Pride is now perceived to be a celebration of our existence, rather than a protest that we deserve to live freely.
And the reality is that the LGBTQ+ community still faces discrimination and dangers across the world.
Government statistics show a 160% rise in hate crimes against the LGBTQ+ community over the last 5 years, with 1 in 5 lesbian, gay or bisexual people, and 2 in 5 trans people experiencing hate crimes against them in the last year.
A report by GLAAD (gay and lesbian alliance against defamation) last year has also shown an alarming drop in levels of acceptance of LGBTQ+ people in North America.
-The number of 18-34 year olds who identify as being ‘supportive and accepting’ of queer people has fallen from 63% to just 45%, with more than 40% claiming to be uncomfortable with LGBTQ+ education in schools.
-More than half of LGBTQ+ people experience depression, and one in seven avoid seeking medical support for fear of discrimination from staff.
-The UK has still not banned Gay Conversion therapy, despite more than a million people signing a petition.
-LGBTQ+ young people account for A quarter of homeless youth in the UK, and less than half of adults in a UK poll by YouGov said they would be happy and proud to have a child who identified as LGBTQ+.
These frightening statistics show just how much work still needs to be done to maintain and increase the acceptance of queer existance, and in the fight for equality.
Here in the UK, we are experiencing some of the biggest challenges to our LGBTQ+ rights since the abolition of section 28. Last year, protests against the No Outsiders programme in UK schools grew alarmingly, as parents and members of communities picketed school gates in opposition to teaching of same-sex relationships. The right leaning media is spurring on misinformation and anti-trans rhetoric, fuelling the government’s proposed reformation of the Gender Recognition Act, which would rescind the basic human rights that Trans people have had for years. People on primetime TV and mainstream media are currently allowed to dispute the identities and existences of those who fall outside of the gender binaries virtually unchallenged, fuelling the hostility.
These issues are not coincidental; when we lose our biggest outlets to inform and educate, and we fall into a kind of false apathy, we lose our outlet to make progress.
For us at Forest Gayte Pride, like so many grassroots Pride events, our priority is not a big party, or a parade. While we include both of these things in our Pride events, the priority for us is the ability to educate our local community on the very real issues queer people face. Our Pride is centred around our Pride Information Hub; a marketplace area where charities, organisations and activist groups can come and share advice and information, and can interact with allies and members of the local community who would not otherwise have access to this education. The importance of the access to conversation and interaction on such a personal level is key to breaking down barriers between the queer communities and our straight allies.
Local Prides offer an important source of visibility in a local neighbourhood community that undoubtedly impacts the acceptance of the existence of LGBTQ+ people. When a person, struggling with their identity or with what might happen to them if or when they were to come out, sees that queer people exist, and thrive, and are celebrated in the place where they live, it can offer them a glimpse into a world that is more accepting and supportive than they might have believed possible. Not everyone has access to the big Pride events that take place in London, Brighton or Manchester, but seeing that queers exist in their home town can inspire a feeling of acceptance and support for those who may not have experienced this before.
In an area such as Newham, which is in the 10% most deprived boroughs in the UK, and where just under 78% of the population is from BAME backgrounds, we have an opportunity to reach LGBTQIA+ individuals who may otherwise feel unable to connect with the community. Many of these people would not feel safe or supported amongst a sea of corporate sponsored floats on Regent Street, and a lot of these people do not understand that another type of LGBTQ+ community and identity exists until they see it.
We work hard to ensure that Our Pride reflects the diverse community that we live in. We have developed relationships with organisations including London Queer Muslims, UK Black Pride, and Bisexuals of Colour whose presence at our Information Hub ensures that everyone feels represented and included, but also means that there is very real help, advice and information available to those whose background, ethnicity and religion intersect with their LGBTQ+ identity in a way that can bring about more specific barriers and issues within their lives and communities.
For us, Pride is also a source of practical help and support to LGBTQ+ individuals who might not know where else to find these resources, especially if they are not fortunate to be in supportive and open surroundings at home. We invite healthcare and welfare professionals and charities such Shine - the NHS sexual health service for young adults, and Metro - an equality and diversity charity which provides health, community and youth services to LGBTQ+ individuals, as well as social organisations such as London Renters Union, who can connect with both queer individuals, and the allies who also may not be aware of some of the health, wellbeing and social issues faced by LGBTQ+ people today.
We can also support and uplift local queer creatives and businesses, providing an invaluable platform. We made a pledge to only include queer performers and speakers at our events, acknowledging how these people do not necessarily get the same opportunities and exposure as their straight counterparts, but also that their creations and knowledge can connect more with the queer community through shared lived experience.
And this brings us to another important aspect to consider, which is the issue of community. This is a word we hear a lot when discussing queer culture and identity, and for good reason. The struggles and issues faced by LGBTQ+ individuals are often very specific to our identities and sexuality. from the specific healthcare needs to discrimination and rejection from family and society in general, we see queer people coming together for mutual support and care, and for many, the queer community becomes a chosen family. But we need spaces for these communities to exist and thrive.
The LGBTQ+ community has been hard hit by the gentrification of London, having lost 58% of its queer venues and safe spaces in the last decade - we now have just 53, down from 125, and with the impact of Covid on the hospitality industry, we may find ourselves with even fewer by next year. Rising rates and rents and the gentrification and commercialisation of Soho, Camden and even Hackney has put many of these venues out of business, and as queer venues and owners have often faced discrimination when trying to open due to prejudice against the community, it is becoming harder to find safe spaces for queer people to exist. There is the argument that with the invention and success of dating and hook-up apps such as Grindr, Tinder, and Her, queer bars and clubs are becoming obsolete, but this theory implies that sexual and physical contact is the only connection queer people are seeking. However, LGBTQ+ spaces are an important part of queer culture, history and community, allowing for social and political action, education, and support for marginalised members of society. Local Prides are stepping in and becoming a way to fill this void, offering support on a local, accessible level.
Local or identity-based grassroots Pride movements can tackle important issues within their specific communities, targetting the demographics that are often marginalised from what is now a mainstream, commericalised Gay Pride.
UK Black Pride, which was originally founded 15 years ago by a group of Black Lesbians who wanted to celebrate their identities, has grown to become Europe’s largest celebration for LGBTQ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Middle Eastern and Latin American descent. The annual pride event is a safe space to celebrate diverse sexualities, gender identities, cultures, gender expressions and backgrounds, representing and celebrating Black LGBTQ+ and QTIPOC. UK Black Pride also promotes unity and cooperation among Queer people of diasporic communities in the UK, and their friends, families, and allies.
More than 50% of LGBTQ+ POC have experienced racism from within the LGBTQ community, proving once again the need for events such as UK Black Pride to provide a safe space.
Whilst the event itself has grown astronomically from its inception, with more than 7000 in attendance in 2019, and 17,000 tuning into the Facebook live feed, UK Black Pride remains a great example of Pride returning to its community; the organisation is run by a team of Queer PoC who provide platforms for Queer Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic performers, speakers, organisations, charities and businesses, raising the voices of the marginalised individuals and communities that were underrepresented across Pride for so long.
Last year, the organisers of UK Black Pride were met with an overwhelmingly positive response when they announced that the UK Home Office would not be allowed a stall at the event in response to their continued deportation of LGBTQ+ asylum seekers; they’d been flying their rainbow painted logo at Pride in London.
Intersectionality is so often overlooked when it comes to LGBTQ+ issues, and the emergence of identity-based Pride events has been an important and positive step forwards in acknowledging and discussing these important issues that have gone unaddressed for so long.
This year will see the first Muslim Pride, organised by the charity Imaan LGBTIQ. There has long been misconceptions stirred up by the media about Islam being inherently homophobic and unaccepting of queerness in the religion and culture. Queer muslims often face islamaphobia from the LGBTQ community, as well as homophobic, biphobic and transphobic abuse they experience from society as a whole. Muslim Pride is a way to counter the misconceptions of what it means to be muslim and queer through engagement and discourse, and a very important visual, open celebration of the intersectional identity.
Imaan ran a successful crowdfunding campaign last year to raise the £10k needed to run the event without having to rely on corporate sponsorship; ensuring that the event remains under the control of those who had the vision, keeping it within the community.
As we’ve seen these marginalised groups forming their own campaigns and events to counteract the feeling of a lack of representation and inclusivity in mainstream Pride events, it’s important to remember that most of these grassroots Pride events are not seen as a replacement for Pride in London. Most of these groups still participate in the main Pride march each year as they benefit from the visibility, and at the heart of all LGBTQ+ charities and organisations is the feeling of solidarity and support for the causes. However, in 2018, the charity Stonewall announced that it would boycott Pride in London in protest at the lack of diversity and inclusivity and the frustrations that so many identity based LGBTQ groups were feeling, and instead aligned itself with UK Black Pride.
It’s not just religious and ethnicity specific identity prides that have been emerging in response to the lack of inclusivity seen in mainstream pride events.
Whilst Trans pride in Brighton has been going since 2012, The first London Trans Pride took place last September, and organiser Lucia Blayke publicly stated her desire for the event to remind people of the pride marches of the 80s. “Marchers went to create social change, not to see Kylie Minogue and have a few cocktails” she told BBC news, referencing the headline act at Brighton Pride the month before. Trans Pride’s manifesto is about fighting for the rights of trans people; from healthcare, social housing, education, to ending the deportation of trans refugees, but it was set up because many trans people feel sidelined within the LGBTQ community.
Pride in London was disrupted in 2018 when a group of anti-trans protesters stormed the front of the procession, and caused outrage when organisers allowed them to lead the march to try and keep the peace. Pride in London did condemn the protest, but their weak reaction spoke volumes to the cis dominance of London Pride, and spurred Trans Pride into existence.
Trans Pride not only gives a voice to a marginalised group, but also provides us with an example of how these sorts of protests do bring about change. The restaurant chain Wagamama was inspired by Trans Pride to introduce gender neutral toilets to 50 of their branches across the UK. This may seem like a small act, but it is actually a bold statement of support, acceptance and positive action for the trans and non-binary communities, and the sort of societal change these Pride events are seeking to evoke.
Corporate pink-washing and commercialisation has changed the way we see and associate with Pride. Pride has been losing its way and its impact for years now, but through showing how important discussion and protest still are for our community, grassroots prides are reclaiming the meaning and message.
This year's Pride in London was cancelled due to the Covid pandemic, but in fact, a different type of Pride took place. Political and social LGBTQ+ groups including the original members of the Gay Liberation Front, and London Trans Pride joined up with Black Lives Matter London to organise a Black Trans Lives Matter protest. The protest saw thousands marching the streets usually filled with a procession of rainbow waving corporate floats, raising awareness of the disproportionate number of Black Trans women, men, and gender non-conforming individuals who are victims of often fatal violence. This act of queer political solidarity is seen by so many to be closer to the original inception of Pride than we’re used to seeing. The impact of these grassroots movements is starting to be seen in full across the UK. Our voices are now being heard, our protests no longer ignored, and our communities are uniting to create powerful alliances. Grassroots Prides are bringing Pride back to the people who need it, and the communities who really make it happen.