Pride: Past, Present, and Future

By Holly Christie

In light of the recent Coronavirus, it is likely that a lot of events this summer will be cancelled including PRIDE. Therefore now, more than ever, it’s important to reflect on the hardships and sacrifices that the LGBTQ+ community have endured throughout their journey to acceptance and celebration.

In July 1972, the streets of London hosted the first PRIDE march in the UK, led by a group of brave, resilient and bad-ass people who fought for their liberation. The group of approximately 2000 marched towards Trafalgar Square and began what was soon to become an annual celebration that continues almost 50 years later. Undoubtedly, they were met with inhumane scrutiny from the public and police force with hundreds of assaults and even murders. The sacrifices those heroes made just for liberation is incomprehensible and should be honoured forevermore.

The event PRIDE is an explosion of creativity and is almost like entering another world. It is a phenomenal celebration that I believe everyone should experience in their life as it is so eye opening and heartwarming to see the progress made, from originally an act of rebellion to an anticipated celebration. My personal experience at PRIDE 2019 is something I’ll remember for the rest of my life, it is a euphoric feeling that I am honoured to have felt. There was music, makeup, fashion and love. However in a place where it is almost impossible not to smile, it was also impossible not to think for a second the struggles everyone here might’ve had to go through if PRIDE wasn't created. It’s in those bittersweet moments that the LGBTQ+ community and allies are grateful for the opportunity to love and express freely.

Source for Images : Holly Christie Film Photography, Pride 2019

Fortunately, over the years the LGBTQ+ community has grown unimaginably with charities, celebrity representation and so much more coverage in the film industry with movies such as Love Simon, Happy Together and Brokeback Mountain. However, often these films include oppression and struggle on a self discovery journey to acceptance. I only hope that in the future, we remember the days of struggle as a distant past and focus on the positivity and celebration of being our true selves. Also the importance of having LGBTQ+ celebrity role models is crucial for today’s generation to have a safe place for truly being themself and to have someone to look up to. The forever changing society we live in hasn't always been and continues to not be a place of equality globally, but hopefully soon, everybody will realise that love is so important for everyone.

I personally do believe in true love whether that be platonic or romantic, it’s so crucial that now especially during this pandemic, we show the people around us love and remind them that we love them. In a world so saturated in hate, prejudice and discrimination we need to be the change we wish to see. LOVE IS LOVE.