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Tag: Pride In London

Pride in London is London’s annual LGBT festival, the five largest in the world – but the biggest in terms of festivals and events. Over 1 million view the parade of around 50,000 people, which winds itself through the centre of London.

The centrepiece to Pride in London is its mainstage which attracts over 10,000 people in Trafalgar Square, which is its capacity for this type of event

  • Five totally gay things to do this Pride weekend

    So if you’re going to Pride In London this weekend here’s five other things you should totally check out

    Five totally gay things to do this Pride weekend

    Pride in London isn’t just about the massive parade that’s taking place in the centre of London (although that is a hugggge part of it) there are hundreds of other activities to get involved with.

    1) Saucy Soho Tours

    Up until the 8th of July, you can embark on a tour of Soho and discover why it became the home of LGBT+ life. The tour lasts one hour and 15 minutes and costs £16.25. If you can get tickets pop over to Tate Britain and take a look at the incredible Queer British Art 1861-1967 Exhibition.

    2) Gay Theatre

    If you’ve got the time you might want to stop by London’s only LGBT theatre, Above The Stag. The theatre runs a programme of gay content throughout the year. During pride season, ATS is showing He Shoots He Scores. Tickets are available from £20.

    3) Moonlight Screening

    Watch 2017’s Best Picture, Moonlight. The Prince Charles Cinema is showing a screen of Moonlight, presented by Unicorn Nights.

    4) The Scene

    During pride, you have to get yourself to the scene. Now, a word to the wise, Old Compton Street becomes very, very busy – don’t expect too much room to swing a cat (so leave him at home). To find your closest LGBT venue, download our free bar finder app.

    5) UK Black Pride

    Pride in the park takes place in the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens on the Sunday after the Parade. Pride in the Park is a community-style event with all kinds of entertainment. There’ll be a cake baking competition, sports events, dog show, music, spoken word and food and drink. All in a relaxed atmosphere that everyone is welcome to be a part of.

     

     

  • Guess what this company did with 10,000 post it notes

    If you’re anything like us, Post-it notes are a bit of an office rarity – more valuable than gold. This company just did something kinda cool, but has given us serious stationery jealously.

    A giant installation made from 10,000 multi-coloured post-it notes has appeared today (5th July) at the London office of global communications group Engine, to celebrate the launch of its new LGBT+ network and partnership with LGBT+ charity Stonewall.

    The installation, which was created overnight by 10 staff at Engine’s six storey Great Portland Street office, forms a giant rainbow-coloured ‘Love Happens Here’ location pin across two sides of the building. It ties into this year’s Pride in London ‘Love Happens Here’ campaign, created by Engine’s advertising business WCRS, and will remain in place for the Pride in London parade taking place this weekend.

    Founded by staff from across Engine’s 14 different businesses, the new network has been set up to celebrate Engine’s LGBT+ community and champion a safe, inclusive and positive work environment. It is supported and funded by Engine, and will be organising regular events and talks for staff, as well as working closely with the business’s HR and management teams on policy.

    The launch is part of Engine’s wider commitment to nurturing diversity which has seen the group launch a ‘Better With Balance’ gender equality initiative designed to achieve 50/50 male-female representation in senior roles, through policies that include gender-balanced shortlists for all senior roles, sponsorship and compulsory unconscious bias training. Engine also participates in a number of apprenticeship schemes, the Creative Equals programme, Speakers for Schools and provides inclusive work experience placements throughout the organisation.

    As part of the launch of the network, Engine will be hosting speakers from Stonewall and Pride in London. The company will also be celebrating its current staff by sharing personal stories and messages of support via a twitter takeover with #EnginePride.

    Simon Peck, Group Managing Director of Engine UK said:

    “Ensuring Engine is a diverse and inclusive place to work is incredibly important to us.
    “Diverse businesses are not only better places to work, they are more innovative and more successful, which is why I am thrilled to be launching this next development in our diversity commitment.”

    Dominic Arnall, Head of Projects and Programmes at Stonewall said:

    “The Stonewall Diversity Champions programme aims to help organisations ensure they have thriving and active LGBT+ networks and policies at the forefront of diversity and inclusion.

    “We’re delighted to welcome Engine into the programme and we are looking forward to working closely with them in the future as their LGBT+ network grows and grows.”

     

  • Gilbert Baker had the vision to unite LGBT people all over the world

    Tributes have poured in from all over the world since the death of Gilbert Baker, the creator of the iconic LGBT rainbow flag.

    JGY_9224

    The creator of the iconic rainbow flag, Gilbert Baker died at the age of 65, his death was announced on Twitter last night.

    The rainbow flag was first seen in 1978 in San Francisco and originally had eight colours to it, to reflect the diversity of the LGBT community. Today the flag has six stripes, red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. Baker referred to this version of the flag as the “commercial version” because it was too expensive to include the hot pink colour in mass production.

    Michael Salter-Church, Co-Chair Pride in London commenting on the death of Gilbert Baker, artist and LGBT activist who designed the rainbow flag in 1978, said,

    “Gilbert Baker had the vision and foresight to unite LGBT people all over the world with the now iconic rainbow flag. As a worldwide movement, LGBT people are connected, strengthened and celebrated through this symbol of diversity and colour.

    “We are honoured that Gilbert personally made the giant rainbow flag enjoyed by millions of spectators at Pride in London over the past decade. We will march with an extra beat in our heart at this year’s Pride in London on Saturday 8 July eternally grateful and ever more determined.”

  • Pride In London “concerned” over YouTube LGBT video restrictions

    YouTube has been blasted by Pride In London as “concerning” over the restriction of its videos, including a speech given by Prime Minister David Cameron.

    CREDIT: (C) Joffe Walters

    Videos including a speech by then Prime Minister David Cameron to the LGBT+ community have been restricted by the Google-owned video platform, YouTube.

    The video service has been criticised after it was revealed that it had restricted 1000s of LGBT+ content creators’ videos, meaning that only people who had opted into unrestricted viewing would be able to see content.

    Videos which have been restricted on the Pride In London YouTube channel include performances from X Factor‘s Seann Miley Moore and that of the Pride In London talent winner 2016, Jack Feureisen.

    Commenting on YouTube’s ‘Restricted Mode’ filtering out some LGBTQ+ video content, Matthew Hemes, Senior Social Media Manager for Pride in London said,

    “YouTube is an incredible space giving LGBTQ+ contributors around the world a platform to be heard. We are concerned that around 25 per cent of Pride in London’s video content is hidden when using YouTube’s ‘Restricted Mode’. Videos not shown include Prime Minister David Cameron’s message to those taking part in 2014, various videos from recent #NoFilter and #FreedomTo campaigns plus many performances on stage in Trafalgar Square. YouTube has been a fantastic supporter of Pride in London and we hope this is rectified soon.”

    Last night the Hashtag #YouTubeIsOverParty trended worldwide as users and audiences blasted the move by the world’s biggest video platform.

    In a full explanation of the YouTube explained that they were looking into the concerns of its users and reiterated that it had a “passion” for making its platform inclusive, diverse and vibrant.

  • 55 of Pride In London’s YouTube videos have been restricted

    55 of Pride In London’s YouTube videos have been restricted

    Fifty-five of Pride In London’s videos on the Google-owned platform, YouTube have been restricted.

    London Pride and YouTube ban
    CREDIT: Pride In London/Twitter

    YouTube has been under fire since it came to light that it had restricted many viewers from watching content from LGBT+ content creators on its platform.

    Pride In London, the UK’s biggest pride festival, has had 55 of its 225 videos restricted.

    https://twitter.com/MattHemes/status/843809384102842368

    Last night the Hashtag #YouTubeIsOverParty trended worldwide as users and audiences blasted the move by the world’s biggest video platform.

    Taking to their official Twitter account, Pride In London displayed how their playlist had been affected by turning on and off a restricted and non-restricted view of their account. Fifty-five of their videos from their public playlist were restricted.

    Pride In London’s video content has no adult content on its channel.

    Restricted mode is turned off by default, but some users have found restriction has been automatically turned on, effectively making the video impossible to watch unless the viewer is logged on if the content is deemed “potentially inappropriate”.

    YouTube apologised for the action saying, but only hours after the hashtag had started trending,

    “LGBTQ+ voices … [were] a key part of what YouTube is all about”, it said that only “mature content” was supposed to be restricted.

    “The intention of Restricted Mode is to filter out mature content for the tiny subset of users who want a more limited experience. LGBTQ+ videos are available in Restricted Mode, but videos that discuss more sensitive issues may not be.”

    In a full explanation of the YouTube explained that they were looking into the concerns of its users and reiterated that it had a “passion” for making its platform inclusive, diverse and vibrant.

  • WATCH | Peter Tatchell addresses Pride In London

    WATCH | Peter Tatchell addresses Pride In London

    Human rights activist Peter Tatchell addressed thousands of people in Trafalgar Square over the weekend.

    Peter Tatchell Foundation
    Peter Tatchell Foundation

    The long-time rights advocate and campaigner, Peter Tatchell addressed thousands of people at Trafalgar Square over the weekend at Pride In London.

    He spoke for just over four minutes and paid tribute to the Orlando victims as well as standing up for Muslim communities asking to remember not to “demonize” or “scapegoat” Muslim people.

    He called for “solidarity to fight all hate.”

    Remembering the Orlando victims, Tatchell said,

    “It’s hard on this day of joy to not forget the pain and anguish the people of Orlando have felt and are feeling, but we stand in solidarity with LGBT Orlando, we stand in solidarity with LGBT people everywhere who are affected by hate crime.”

     

  • Addison Lee showing their pride by turning 30 cars into rainbows

    Will you be stepping into a rainbow taxi this weekend for Pride in London?

    Addison Lee Pride Car 2

    Addison Lee are coming out in support of the gay community by turning 30 of their fleet into rainbow cars.

    The car service is offering a promotional discount code (*PRIDE10) to help revellers get around on the day of the London parade, Saturday 25th June. Addison Lee will also be donating £5 to Pride for every customer that uses that code right until the end of July.

    This, they hope is a visual reminder of the real investment by Addison Lee in its commitment to the vales of tolerance, equality and diversity.

    Addison Lee Pride Car (3)

    Andy Boland, CEO, Addison Lee says,

    “Addison Lee has been proud to serve all Londoners for over 40 years. Pride is a great opportunity for Addison Lee to celebrate that we do more than anyone else in the industry to train drivers about equality and diversity issues.”

    Michael Salter-Church MBE, Chair, Pride in London says,

    “I salute Addison Lee for the journey that it has undertaken as a business. Its equality, diversity and disability training is unmatched within the minicab industry. We are delighted to have Addison Lee as our transport partner, helping volunteers, performers and others to create a successful Pride.”

     

    Addison Lee has worked for the last three years with Stonewall, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender rights charity, to create an inclusive and accepting environment in its vehicles and offices. The company’s determination to ensure that all of its passengers and drivers feel safe and secure has been recognised by Stonewall with the award of Diversity Champion status.

  • Majority of LGBT+ people in UK still feel they need to lie about their sexuality

    Pride in London, in partnership with Quadrangle and Populus, conducted a survey of more than 1,000 LGBT+ people in the UK. The research also discovered that people who are LGBT+ are six times less likely to hold a partner’s hand in public than the rest of the population, and that LGBT+ respondents are five times more likely to have been bullied at work because of their gender.

    Pride in London is one of the city’s biggest one-day events, with as many as 1m people coming to the festival to support the UK’s LGBT+ community. It is run entirely by volunteers, with more than 800 volunteers helping on the day.

    Chair of Pride in London, Michael Salter-Church said,

    “Great progress has been made in the name of LGBT+ equality in recent years, but these figures show the striking reason why Pride is still as important as ever.

    “People in Britain who are LGBT+ still face the need to filter their true selves, and hide affection to their loved ones. At its heart, Pride in London is a community led movement that recognises the struggles and successes of everyone in our community.”

    Marketing Director of Pride in London, and Deputy Chair at Quadrangle Research, Alison Camps said,

    “As well as changing laws we need to change hearts and minds. Pride in London gives us an incredible day to celebrate who we are, and give people the confidence to be proud.

    “This is what this year’s campaign #nofilter is all about. We will recognise those people who must live life under a filter, fight for them, and celebrate a day of #nofilter.”

    David Ames, who plays Dominic Copeland in Holby City, and appears in the #nofilter campaign said,

    “My chosen career asks of me to wear a mask, to tell someone else’s story and to put myself in someone else shoes. Well, that’s all very well when it’s work and I’m being paid.

    “In my personal life, however, I don’t want to have to wear a mask. I want to be the narrator of my own story and I certainly don’t want to wear someone else’s grotty shoes.

    “So, I fully support and applaud this year’s Pride in London for its #nofilter campaign.

    “Showing others that you’re proud, encouraging those who need it to stand tall and making sure those most vulnerable know at all times that, as a community, we’ll do all we can to support you.

    “Leave your filters for your Instagram and go and celebrate being you.”

     

    The research finds:
    74% of LGBT+ respondents still feel the need to lie about their sexuality or gender identity
    2% of the population has been bullied at work because of their gender, compared to 10% of LGBT+ respondents in our survey
    77% of LGBT+ respondents felt uncomfortable being their true self in public, compared to just 23% in the general population
    21% of LGBT+ respondents felt completely comfortable being themselves in all situations, compared with 41% of straight respondents
    75% of LGBT+ respondents were out to all their friends, but only 50% were out to all their colleagues
    Friends are by far the most common group to be out to, and men are much more likely to be out in the workplace (89% of our male survey respondents) than women (76% of our female survey respondents)
    59% of LGBT+ respondents had felt threatened by other people’s attitudes and behaviours towards them, compared with 16% of the wider population
    While only 5% of people think twice about holding a partner’s hand in public, 30% of LGBT+ respondents were uncomfortable with this, rising to 41% of gay men

  • Out singer Duncan James Looks Hot In His Rainbow Glasses

    Former teen heartthrob and now fully-fledged man band god, Duncan James shows off his rainbow glasses at London’s gay pride.

    (more…)

  • UKIP Defies Gay Pride Ban And Jumps Barriers At London Pride

    Despite a ban on the political party by the organisers of London’s pride parade yesterday, members of UKIP’s LGBT group joined the parade.

    ◉ 20-25 UKIP LGBT Members jumped the barriers to join parade.

    ◉ UKIP LGBT deputy chair slams Peter Tatchell.

    ◉ The group was banned due to “safety” concerns

    Around 20 to 25 members of UKIP’s LGBT group jumped the barriers at London’s pride parade yesterday. Their actions were made despite being slapped with a “health and safety” ban by the Pride organisers.

    Concerns over safety forced Pride In London organisers to ban the political party. Over 250 organisations, including other political parties were allowed to march in the UK’s biggest gay pride parade.

    The ban on UKIP was slammed by many, including Katie Hopkins and openly gay Lib Dem Lord, Sir Brian Paddick, who said, “After years of campaigning to be acknowledged and accepted by society, the last thing LGBTI people should be doing is excluding a group gays and lesbians from Pride that has a legal right to exist.

    “The police and organisers should be facilitating their right to peacefully and safely participate, not using understandable hatred of UKIP as an excuse to ban them.”

    FREEDOM OF SPEECH?

    In a poll by TheGayUK readers, 71% thought that UKIP should have been allowed to march within the parade.

    Speaking to TheGayUK Nathan Garbutt, the deputy chairman for UKIP LGBT said,

    “There were about 20 to 25 of us in total from all parts of the UK. We were determined to be there despite the ban because we wanted to represent the 2 million people that voted UKIP and the 600 members of LGBT UKIP, who identify as gay and vote UKIP.

    “We had a really positive response, until the end.

    “The organisers and stewards along the route let us participate.

    This is a free democratic country… We have a right to be there.

    “People like Peter Tatchell and the people who got us banned, should be ashamed of themselves… He doesn’t have to agree with our politics, but he should have welcomed us.”

    UKIP LGBT plan to appear at other pride events across the UKIP, including Brighton and Manchester. Their next appearance will be at Leeds pride on the 2nd August.

  • POLICE: “Appropriate And Proportional” Policing Plan Is In Place For Pride In London

    Police in London are on high alert today as up to 750,000 people are expected to turn out to take part and watch London’s Pride parade.

    London’s LGBT+ parade is due to take place just 24 hours after a number of terror attacks took place in Tunisia, Kuwait and France leaving question marks over the safety of the general public in crowded spaces in cities across the world.

    Extra security has been promised for Armed Forces day and the gay pride parade today in London, however spectators are being asked to be extra vigilant.

    The UK’s terror threat level is placed at Severe after ISIS claimed responsibility for the terror attack in Tunisia. The Sun newspaper is claiming that an Armed Forces Day parade in South London had been a target for ISIS. According to the paper a thwarted suicide blast was intended to strike at soldiers from Lee Rigby’s unit during today’s parade.

    According to The Mail, the Met Police’s Deputy Assistant Commissioner Helen Ball, said: “Our priority is to keep people safe and we continue to review our ability to prevent and respond to terrorist incidents and potential threats.

    “And as we approach a weekend of large public celebrations around the country, including Armed Forces Day events and Pride London, we will be putting in place additional security measures to help protect and reassure the public.’

    PARADE DETAILS
    The London LGBT parade will leave Baker Street at 1.00PM and end in Whitehall at 4:30PM.

    The Metropolitan Police report that they have been liaising with the organiser of this year’s Pride event for some months and that an appropriate and proportionate policing plan is in place.

    This year’s Parade is one of the biggest ever with over 250 groups registered to take part in the parade.

    Numerous worried members of the public have taken to social media to question the safety of London and the event.

    The Pride In London committee have commented that they have over 1000 stewards and have been working closely with the Met Police to ensure the safety of those attending the parade.

    Tweeting from their official Twitter account, they said, “All our usual precautions, and we work very closely with the @metpoliceuk to deliver a safe event.

    “Safety is our utmost priority, above all else.”