![when was the first gay pride parade rally in the uk held when was the first gay pride parade rally in the uk held](https://sofiaglobe.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/1-Skopje-Pride-photo-US-embassy-Skopje.jpg)
Lesbian and Gay Pride 85 was way more than that. In both 83 and 84, the day was essentially a march through London then a ‘social’ at the University of London. Nonetheless, it was clear that something changed – and significantly so.Īs the ‘Thank you’ ad (right) in the following week’s Capital Gay demonstrates, a huge organisational effort went into the 85 event. I have to say I have no concrete evidence to back up that assertion so it may simply be my faulty memory. I don’t know who was behind the organisation of the 84 rally, but I’m sure I heard not long after that that there had been a ‘palace coup’ within the organising committee. But I think there were also more practical considerations involved too. No doubt this shared concern was one of the factors that triggered the turnaround. Indeed, the turnout was so low in 1984 I think many people were beginning to question whether it actually had a future. Personally, I think that latter figure was an over-estimate it felt like a few hundred as we straggled through London’s main thoroughfares struggling to make our voices heard. Capital Gay reported 2,000 at the 1984 event. We reported in Gay East Midlands that 3,000 people had taken part in 1983. Lesbian and Gay Pride 85 marked a significant turning point in the fortunes of what we now know simply as ‘ Pride‘.Īt that time there were no regional rallies there was a national Lesbian and Gay Pride parade and it was always in London.īut attendance had been on a steady decline. The image at far left is an aerial shot of some of the marchers crossing Waterloo Bridge.
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Capital Gay reports the “biggest ever” Lesbian and Gay Pride rally.