Andrew Kay wonders how ‘proud’ he is

Brighton Pride has been and gone. It seems a whole lot of fuss for something that comes and goes so quickly. Some of that fuss is no doubt due to the often difficult fight that went on over several years about how Pride was run, what Pride was about, and who Pride belonged to.

This year, for the first time in four years, I decided to go along to the park.
I wanted to go for several reasons but the main one was to lend support for the newly convened organisation. Their commitment to raising funding for local gay organisations and charities was one of the areas that needed to be addressed, and I was pleased to hear
on the day that large sums of money had not only already been raised but allocated to local groups. It was a massive step in the right direction.

The park itself was well organised, and I felt comfortable and safe the whole time I was there. I took a wander around and settled in a green and open space with a few beers, rather stiffly priced at £4 I thought, especially as there was an embargo on taking in your own drink or food come to that.

“I felt comfortable and safe the whole time I was there”

I sort of missed the old free days when we would pitch up early and stake a claim in the wooded area by the clock tower with a picnic. There we would gather and take turns in watching things and sharing our food. It was a nice way to spend the day and an element that this year I missed.

The truth is, the entertainment provided, whilst broad in its appeal, did
not really appeal to me. I loved the buzz coming form the Wild Fruit tent but
I didn’t want to be in there; I enjoyed the laughter coming from the cabaret tent, but I wasn’t up for an afternoon of drag.

As well as missing the picnic I miss the central stage. I know the cost implications are huge, that the organisation required is massive and that, for many, it was seen as a cynical abuse of an opportunity by the promoters of new pop acts. Maybe it was, but it was also the core opportunity to campaign and to lobby, the pop music peppered with public speakers from all manner of organisations.

So how proud am I? Well, at times very proud. I believe it is a personal thing – but I would feel much prouder if here, in the relative safety of the UK, we did a little more to protest at the terrible situation globally for so many gay men and women who have to fight for their lives under terrifying regimes. And where better than at Brighton Pride?