“I am pleased to support our city’s pride celebrations and proud of London’s reputation as a place where you can be yourself. From poet laureates to politicians and pop stars to rugby players, there’s an increasing confidence to be open about your sexuality. Nowhere is this more evident than in London, which is home to one of the largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans communities in the world. Everybody has the right to live their life as they wish, free from persecution and abuse, and my office is working with the community, the police and other partners to ensure that, irrespective of sexuality, all Londoners are able to participate fully in the life of the capital.”When was the last time your mayor went from comparing gays to bestiality to supporting your right to divorce?
Apart from the parade itself, the numerous community groups marching in it and the related art, cabaret, and cultural events across the city, London lights up both the National Theater and the London eye (the huge ferris wheel beside the Thames River) in rainbow colors. It’s kinda like when New York lights up the Empire State building for Pride, except that the London Eye and National Theater form a huge part of the London skyline. You can see them a long ways out. Even non-LGBTQAs must see the them and know what’s up. It’s no wonder the city got chosen to host 2012 World Pride right between the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Summer Olympic Games.
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Tallskin
Yep, London is the gay capital of Europe (and half the gay population of Europe is actually living here, as well as half the gay populations from Brazil and other South American countries), so you’d expect it to be massive.
Only thing is, Pride used to be a massive march and then a huge celebration in one of London’s parks, but the park part has been dropped nowadays, which is a shame.
Joseph
Come to Toronto, you’ll get everything you mentined in this post minus the crazies. I don’t think any nut jobs protest our pride celebrations!
Becky
Pride was amazing, I was next to the barrier in Piccadilly Circus and everyone seemed to be having a great time ^^
Lamar
Personally, I’d say that Amsterdam (Holland) or Stockholm (Sweden) deserve the title of Gay capital of Europe. There is rampant homophobia against gays in London whereas in the capitals mentioned above crime against gays in considerably lower as tolerance there is more common. People should consider the levels of homophobia and transphobia in their cities before declaring them to be a gay capital. Having said that I think it is great that London has 2 gay villages though.
DX
Tallskin:
“Yep, London is the gay capital of Europe (and half the gay population of Europe is actually living here, as well as half the gay populations from Brazil and other South American countries)”
Let’s not get silly now.
Dave
This kinda sounds like Pride in Toronto, New York, San Francisco, Sydney or even Sao Paulo…
Kevin
all 5 of these could be said about Toronto’s Pride
Hugo Quezel Poirier
This story is a non-story.
As said up there , Toronto has the same thing .
And we have the same thing in Montreal as well minus the crazy.
David
Our Sydney Gay And Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade makes the pom’s parade a yawn.
Caspar
@Lamar: Rampant homophobia?! I don’t think so. The reason the occasional homophobic attack is highlighted in the media so heavily is exactly because it’s not hugely common these days. I don’t think we should get complacent and think it’s completley gone, but I hold my boyfriends hand all over London and rarely even get a second glance from a passer by, and I literally can’t remember the last time anyone actually said anything.
I think the fact the mayor has gone from writing homophobic idiocies (pretty much as an attention getting thing, i don’t think he was ever being very serious in his writings) to championing gay rights and speaking up for gay marriage shows how far we’ve come since the 80s.
Peter Tatchell deserves a mention, just for working so hard, for so long, for us all. Some people find him a bit much, but I’m incredibly grateful for all his work and I’m glad he’s still part of the community and not resting on his laurels.