Pride in London: Solidarity and champagne under the rainbow

The capital's Pride celebrations are under way and this year they hold a special significance. As the LGBT community absorbs the shock of Orlando, Guy Pewsey calls for solidarity and champagne
Celebrate: London is strewn with colour as Pride arrives in London
Rob Stothard/Getty Images
Guy Pewsey20 June 2016

When the world woke up to news of the Orlando massacre on Sunday morning the sadness seemed all-consuming. Some squeezed their feelings into 140 characters, Facebook statements or long-read think pieces. Others chose silence, too devastated at the attacks to find the words to express their grief.

But as the days have gone by, the need to celebrate everything LGBT is clearer than ever. The vigil on the streets of Soho on Monday, with songs punctuating the silences, hugs given out like free entry wristbands at G-A-Y, and complete strangers coming together to commemorate brothers and sisters who they will now never meet, showed London and the world that there’s nothing that the LGBT community does better than look after each other.

Especially on the last weekend of June, when lesbian, bisexual, gay, queer, trans and those who reject labels will be putting on a huge display of solidarity. Batten down the hatches everyone: Pride in London is coming.

Pride, we are taught as children, is a sin. One of the seven big ones, no less. It is vulgar and shameful and nothing, for lack of a better term, to be proud of. Forget wrath or avarice: there’s little worse than the occasional feeling of satisfaction with one’s achievements. No wonder, then, that the people of the LGBT communities, also oppressed and maligned so unjustly, have embraced and rebranded it so readily as the moniker for the ultimate celebration.

Next Saturday London will don its brightest garb for a carnival of colour, self-acceptance and unity. Founded in 1972, Pride has grown into an event of epic proportions, containing more feathers and glitter than a lock-in at Cher’s house but also encompassing queer and more low-key non-gender-binary parts.

Thousands line the streets as representatives of LGBT tribes — from charities to media companies, the LGBTories to the Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners — march through the centre of the city amidst a chorus of whistles and horns, a flurry of flags and an overwhelming sense of community.

Starting in Portland Place and ending in Trafalgar Square, there will be bears in leathers and lesbians on roller-skates, along with armies of more modestly dressed but no less excitable representatives of more than 300 groups.

You’ll find newly out teenagers beside newly liberated OAPs on their first ever LGBT outing, London natives and those who have bussed in from miles away. And, if you’re lucky, at least a couple of teary mums who have come in to town just to show their support.

But the party and music at Trafalgar is just a checkpoint, with bars, pubs and clubs marking the occasion. You’ll also probably spot some famous faces. Last year the cast of hit film Pride took to the streets, Jeremy Corbyn walked with LGBT youths carrying “We Love Jeremy” signs, and US Ambassador Matthew Barzun waved from his red, white and blue open-topped double decker. Sadiq Khan, meanwhile, has already confirmed his attendance.

Pride London: Where to celebrate in the capital

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The fact that the community’s sense of togetherness, and Pride itself, is growing each year is nothing short of remarkable considering attacks like that of the past weekend and, closer to home, daily cases of homophobia and the closure of so many gay spaces in recent years. The sanctuary provided by now-closed venues such as Camden’s The Black Cap, Soho’s Candy Bar, Hackney’s Joiners’ Arms and Stunners in Limehouse was crucial to so many. And while London still possesses many unique LGBT venues, their survival cannot be taken for granted.

But if Pride proves anything, and as anyone who was in Soho as it fell to a hush on Monday can tell you, it’s that it’s not bricks and mortar that make a sanctuary, but flesh and blood.

Wave the flags, blow the horns and uncork the champagne: it has never been more important to be proud.

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