Socialist Party @ Europride 2006

[marcvallee]

EuroPride or EuroShame?
Socialism Today Magazine
Issue 102 Jul-Aug 2006
http://www.socialismtoday.org/102/pride.html

 

[Fisher_Gate]

EuroPride or EuroShame?
Socialism Today Magazine
Issue 102 Jul-Aug 2006
http://www.socialismtoday.org/102/pride.html

Generally a good article, but I have to disagree about one thing:

During the 1970s and 1980s, gay pride marches were small events amounting to a few thousand.

While there is a germ of truth about specifically 'gay only' events, the open rally in 1978 in Trafalgar Square to defend Gay News was a significant turning point and high water mark.

Tens of thousands turned out, the largest demonstration in Britain on gay rights up to that time. Many were from the left and labour movement, as well as the emerging gay rights movement. A notable highspot was Tom Robinson singing 'Glad to be Gay' from the podium, something he had also done on numerous Rock against Racism events around that time, linking homophobia with racism. There were plenty of IMG and SWP at the demo, but Militant and the LPYS they led were notable absentees, despite the very youthful nature of the participants. At that time they regarded defence of gay rights as a diversion from the class struggle. They were the mirror image of the Gay Liberation Front who were hostile to politics and the left.

The Gay News Defence Campaign which organised the event transformed itself into the Gay Activists Alliance which provided a significant political leadership for a few years, until 'lifestylism' became dominant in the 1980s.