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Pride celebrations in the United Kingdom

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Pride celebrations happen all across the United Kingdom, often during the summer. The first official Pride March was organised by the London Gay Liberation Front on 1 July 1972, on the weekend closest to the anniversary of the Stonewall riots. Birmingham closely followed with a march the week after. This was only 5 years after the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in the UK.

The London Pride Parade is the longest-running and largest Pride event in the UK. Trans Pride Brighton was the first trans-specific Pride event in the UK held in 2013.[1]

History

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The first Pride event of 1972 built on earlier rallies and marches for LGBTQ+ rights, beginning in 1970.[2] They were largely grassroots, community-led events until the end of the 1990s. Important milestones in the Pride movement in the UK include:

  • 1973: the local chapter of the Gay Liberation front organised a march through Brighton and a “Gay Dance” at the Royal Albion Hotel.[3] The next Brighton Pride Parade would not be held before 1991.
  • Early 1980s: Women-only marches were organised by Lesbian Strength in the week before Pride.[4]
  • 1985: Birmingham's debut Pride event was called the Gay Pub and Club Olympics and included boat and egg and spoon races judged by drag queens.[5]

In 1988, Section 28 of the Local Government act stated that “A local authority shall not [...] intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality”. This created funding and logistical issues for Pride organisers.[6] Many local councils disregarded the law, which was repealed in 2003.[7]

  • 1991: The first Pride march in Belfast, Northern Ireland, brought together a 100 people and had to change route last minute to avoid protestors. However, it quickly became a tradition.[8]
  • 1992: London hosted EuroPride, the Pride event representing all of Europe.
  • 1995: First large scale Pride event in Scotland, where homosexuality was only decriminalised in 1981.[9]
  • 1999: Launch of Cardiff Mardi Gras, now Pride Cymru, as a protest against police violence towards gay people.
  • 2003: Launch of Reading Pride, in the year of the section 28 repeal.[10][11]
  • 2010: Liverpool debuted an official Pride march, on the closest weekend to 2 August 2008, the anniversary of the murder of 18-year-old gay man Michael Causer.[12]
  • 2013: Trans Pride Brighton is co-founded by Sarah Savage, Fox Fisher, Phoenix Thomas, Stephanie Scott and Sabah Choudrey.

Pride celebrations by city

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References

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  1. ↑ "Brighton and Hove celebrates Britain's first ever Trans Pride event". The Argus. Retrieved 2 June 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ↑ "The British Newspaper Archive Blog First 20 Years of Pride | The British Newspaper Archive Blog". blog.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk. Archived from the original on 20 January 2025. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  3. ↑ ChrisJ. "Pride25 – The History of Brighton Pride – Brighton & Hove Pride". Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  4. ↑ Merritt, Eve Collyer (10 February 2023). "Pride in the UK: From its roots to today".
  5. ↑ Pellant, Georgina (24 August 2023). "The incredible history of Manchester Pride (and how far it's come)". The Manc. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  6. ↑ Staveley-Wadham, Rose (1 June 2022). "Celebrating The First 20 Years of Pride in The United Kingdom". The British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
  7. ↑ Merritt, Eve Collyer (10 February 2023). "Pride in the UK: From its roots to today". House of Lords Library: In Focus.
  8. ↑ Corr, Shauna (28 July 2021). "The story behind how Belfast's first ever Pride came about". Belfast Live. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  9. ↑ "Scotland's events in support of Pride go well beyond marches". The National. 22 June 2025. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  10. ↑ "Reading Pride celebrates 10th year". BBC News. 31 August 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2026.
  11. ↑ "Reading Pride celebrating 20th anniversary with parade". Reading Chronicle. 7 August 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2026.
  12. ↑ "Liverpool Pride march led by Michael Causer's parents". BBC News. 5 August 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
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