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Though Pride Month is now officially over, there are still events happening all over the country, and we’ve been to two over the last couple of weeks. In their own way, each has been impressive and enjoyable, despite the huge differences between them.

The Pride 2019 Parade in London's Pall Mall

A fortnight ago, we were in London for Pride London 2019, and an extraordinary experience it turned out to be. With up to 1½ million people on the streets of central London, a parade involving 30,000 people which took three hours to pass, six event stages in various parts of the capital, the scale of the event this year was amazing. The skill and sheer hard work that goes into organising an event on that scale is mind-boggling.

I know that there are those who think the event has become too big and too commercialised, and I can understand that. The pioneers may pine for the much more intimate atmosphere of Clapham Common, Kennington Park or Hackney’s Victoria Park (all previous venues) – but I can tell you that it did not feel commercialised or remote on the streets of London during that afternoon and evening  (or indeed until the early hours of Sunday morning – there were still plenty of people on the streets when we left Ronnie Scott’s jazz club at 0230!).

Standing at the bottom of Haymarket, watching the part of the parade pass along Pall Mall was a very moving experience. The enthusiasm and cheering of the crowds, the joy on the faces of the participants on the floats, the party atmosphere amidst the tall buildings of one of London’s poshest streets – all contributed to the sheer joy of the afternoon.

For husband Michael and I, the visibility and the sense of community that Pride events generate is such a huge contrast with the closeted, invisible, frightened lives that gay people of our generation lived, victims of prejudice, disdain and dislike. Add to that the fear of prison and prosecution endured by so many people who’d gone before us (which is still the fate of so many millions around the world) – and one begins to understand and appreciate the true significance of these Pride events.

This remained true of the second event we attended, in Eastbourne yesterday. True, this had nothing like the scale of the London event – or indeed the Brighton one which is still to follow. The parade was much shorter, with the number of participants counted in the hundreds rather than the tens of thousands. There was one stage, in Prince’s Park to the east of the town, and the audience was limited by the authorities to 5,000 – more than that and hire/security fees zoom up and the current funding model would become too stretched, I am told.

Eastnourne's samller but successful event

However, the enthusiasm of the participants was not different. Neither was the sense of community nor the visibility in the local community that the event clearly engendered. The sheer diversity of yesterday afternoon’s audience in the park was testament to the spread of LGBT+ people and their supporters across our society. This is only the third time that event has been run, so terrific progress made in creating a hugely enjoyable and very memorable event.

According to gay campaigner Peter Tatchell, who was the main speaker in Eastbourne, this year will see more than 150 Pride Events take around the UK, which is one of 150 countries worldwide in which Pride events are now held. Based on from my experience with Eastbourne and London, my guess is that – from the smallest to the largest – they are all making a huge difference to their areas, building awareness, putting people in touch with one another and making LGBT+ people visible. After all, it is good to remind everybody that we’re all human beings trying to make the best way we can through life.

Long may the Pride Movement continue and flourish.