I’m expecting gays. Thousands of them. Loved ones and random ones. Dancing ones and drinking ones. Happy ones and very happy ones. Gays, gays, gays. Cos guess what its Brighton GAY Pride. It’s Brighton LESBIAN Pride. It’s Brighton BISEXUAL Pride. It’s Brighton TRANSGENDER Pride. Just so you know.

The signs in my city announcing the fact the gays are coming to town have been lacking in sexuality. “Pride Parade”, “Village Street Party” “LGBT”. All very lovely but not very in your face and lets face it we still need to be in your face. Some of us are still bullied at school, troubled at work, hassled in their homes and scared to come out to their families. We may be all civil and partnered up right now but we still need to make a noise. Our community organisations are facing funding cuts and in some cases closure. Our queer brothers and sisters abroad are persecuted, maimed and killed. Just cos of who they choose to love. In some cities, towns and villages it is still the love that dare not speak its name.

And so as we head towards Brighton Pride, armed with glitter and party plans may I believe its time we embraced the stance of the placard. Since those heroic Stonewall drag queens dragged gay rights into the limelight Pride has been and always should be about the fight. A Fight for equality be it in our communities at home or overseas. Let’s make our community count, make some noise, say no more to banned Pride marches, right wing European parties denying LGBT rights, murderers in Africa killing those who dare speak out and stand beside those who need us to keep highlighting their inequality. Let’s keep Pride political, lets keep Pride GAY, GAY, GAY!

Have a safe, fabulous, wonderful, happy, hot and GAY, GAY, GAY Pride!

Amnesty LGBT Network