Has LGBT Pride lost its way? This is a question more and more people are asking in the run up to Saturday’s Pride London parade. What began in 1972 as a protest for gay rights has now morphed into a commercialised, bureaucratic and rule-bound event, which too often reflects the wishes of the city authorities, not the LGBT community.
The admirable organisers, Pride in London, are being forced to operate with onerous controls and draconian costs. These have been imposed by the mayor of London, Westminster council and the Metropolitan police, whose conditions mean a mere 26,500 people will be permitted to march. This is a fraction of the number who would march if it were a free and open event.
Today, LGBT organisations have to apply three months in advance, pay a fee and get wristbands for all their participants. The parade feels increasingly regimented, commodified and straitjacketed. The city authorities are also enforcing punitive costs for road closures, pavement barriers, policing and security. They cite safety concerns and the disruptive impact on central London businesses if the parade were allowed to be bigger. Commerce comes first, it seems. Pride must not interfere with making money. These excuses are nonsense. There are far larger political marches, such as anti-austerity demonstrations. They are stung for none of the costs forced on Pride and have no safety problems. Equally, no such restrictions are placed on numbers at the Notting Hill Carnival, which is many times larger.
The tireless Pride committee is held over a barrel. They may be permitted to increase numbers, but only if they stump up loads more cash to the council and police. Westminster council seems to think that the democratic right of the LGBT community to use its streets should come at a cash price. It even demands compensation for the suspension of parking bays. Royal Parks is no better. It won’t allow Pride to use Hyde Park.
Compared to 20 years ago, Pride has been dumbed down. For many people, it is now mostly a gigantic street party. Big corporations see it as a PR opportunity to fete LGBT consumers. The ideals of LGBT equality are barely visible. Last year I counted only 10 parade groups with a LGBT human rights message.
It is sometimes claimed that Pride London is the biggest in the world. Not true. London is one of the smaller Prides in major European cities, being eclipsed in size by Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam and Madrid. São Paulo’s attracts 3 million people. In contrast, Pride London has 26,500 on the parade, 80,000 spectators, 20,000 in Trafalgar Square and 90,000 in Soho. That’s 216,500 people in total; certainly not the 1 million claimed by the mayor of London.
This is smaller than earlier Prides in London. In 1997, more than 100,000 people marched in the parade. Close to 300,000 people attended the post-march festival on Clapham common. Pride is, however, more than the parade. There are 100-plus events over the Pride fortnight, ranging from concerts to films, sports, exhibitions and talks. It’s staged by an amazing unpaid team of volunteers. Corporate sponsorship is necessary. The parade and festival has to be funded. But are the corporates now too dominant?
If Pride has gone adrift, we are all to blame for not being more involved with the organising committee and not standing up to the city authorities. Perhaps it’s time to revert to the liberation ethos of the first UK Pride. I was one of the organisers back then. I’ve marched in every Pride London parade since. So this will be my 46th.
The 1972 Pride was political and fun; without all the restrictions, costs and red tape that are strangling Pride today. Let’s put liberation back at the heart of Pride; reclaim it as a political march with a party atmosphere and no limits on numbers, and no motorised floats. This would dramatically cut costs and bureaucracy, and return Pride to its roots. We can still have a fabulous carnival atmosphere. It worked in 1972. Why not now?