1) Dress (in) appropriately. There will always be someone in less clothes than you at Pride. It’s remarkable how, come rain or shine, there will by skinny boys in denim shorts that defy the laws of anatomy. See this as a challenge, rather than something to put you off though. The best thing about Leeds Pride is that it attracts one of the most diverse crowds. So whether you want to wear more glitter than Ke$ha on a Hobbycraft spree, or just come in your jeans and t-shirt, you’ll certainly be in for a visual treat. I mean, parade is just another word for catwalk, isn’t it?
2) Take photos. If, like me, you’ve booked the Monday off work, and plan to get pretty ‘merry’, you probably want to bring a camera, if only to find out at what point during the day you lost your watch / shoes / dignity. Unfortunately there’s no Adam Rickett like last year, so you won’t be able to do much celeb spotting, but there’s more than likely to be some ridiculous moment you’ll want to catch on camera. Keep an eye out for when the drag queens try to get on the floats – 2 foot wigs, 6 inch heels and hydraulics never mix well.
3) Skip the head liners. The best acts at Pride are always the local ones, no matter how big the headlining names are. Get up to Millennium Square early to see the local talent, then head over to the steps of Leeds City Museum for the best view of the passing parade, which starts straight after last act has performed. Unless you’re a massive fan of new pop girl-group Parade, you probably won’t miss much, and you’ll be in prime position for seeing all the floats.
4) Take water. If it’s as hot as it was last year, unsure you take some water with you. If you’re planning to walk the parade route, bear in mind that it goes at snails pace. It is ridiculously slow, and we don’t want you passing out from dehydration. Having said that, it’s always a pretty special moment to do the walk, it really makes you feel part of something bigger, and lots of old ladies will stop in the street and watch you flaunt past too. (See 1) Dress (in) appropriately)
5) Don’t wear heels. Loads of people always dress in drag for Pride, who have never done it before. By about half 3 they look like they’re walking on hot coal with rickets. If you’re not used to it, doing it on a day where you’re likely to be doing it in front of the entire Leeds gay community probably isn’t the best idea. Bring some flats and accept that you’re not Kim Kardashian.
6) Explore. There’s loads of stuff on at Pride, and a lot of the ‘non-gay’ venues in the area put on special things throughout the day. The more critical amongst you might see this as cashing in on the old pink penny, but some of the stuff is pretty decent. Last year the hairdressing academy next to Queens Court put on a cute little student bake sale, and this year Cosmopolitan Hotel are holding some events for children and families, which is a lovely way to get some peace and quiet if you’ve got little ones and you don’t want them repeating some of the words that come out of the drag queens’ mouths.
7) Go to Blayds. Looking at the line up from the bars, they look like they have the most variety of acts on throughout the day. They’ve also got the most outside space so it’s a good bet if it’s sunny and the crowds are a little heavy. They are also having a magician. A MAGICIAN. Amazing.
8) Go upstairs. Most of the bars in and around Lower Briggate have upstairs bars too, and some have upstairs seating overlooking the streets and the parties. Whilst the upstairs bars aren’t guaranteed to be open (particularly earlier on in the day), they are a good way to beat the queues and get served quickly. It also helps if you tip and smile.
9) Pace yourself. No-one wants to be picking you off the pavement after you’ve choked on a rainbow themed whistle at quarter to six in the evening. It’s not a good look. Parties go way on into the night, so if you’re out for a long time, don’t get too excited by the overpriced beer that’s on offer.
10) Enjoy it! And come and say hello to Mark and I. I’m going to try to find a spare Bears Aloud frock to put him in. Happy Pride!
*Disclaimer, this may not happen if you follow these bullet points. I just couldn’t think of a better title. Sorry.
Leeds Pride kicks off at Millennium Square at 12pm. The parade begins at 3pm. For more info, and the full line up check out the Leeds Pride website.
I didn’t know Leeds has a gay pride march, but if it does, why? Is it right to publicly parade your sexual proclivities? I can remember the debate leading up to the legalisation of homosexuality and the main argument for liberalisation was then and ever since that sexual matters are a private matter, of interest to nobody but the person involved. What is the point of parading ones sexual preferences and where should it end? I have no interest in another persons sexual preferences and tastes. I don’t pry and I don’t invite others to tell me about their taste for rubber, animals or children. It is none of my business. I may well visit prostitutes, engage in sex with animals or enjoy looking at pictures of children, or for that matter believe in sex only within the sanctity of marriage but as long as no person or animal is harmed that is my affair. I would not be proud or ashamed of that. By the same token I respect the right of the passing public to have my sex life kept under wraps. I am no longer a parent of small children but I think I would feel uncomfortable having to explain a dogging or scatology or even a straight sex pride march if I were out shopping with my grandchildren. Its not a matter of pride or shame, sex is for consenting adults and belongs in the bedroom (or bathroom, or Golden Acre Park after dark)
because some people feel they have the right to comment
http://www.gayleeds.com/best-of-the-rest/article/_gay-parents-bashed-video/
because some people feel you should be punished
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-10844928
because some people think you shouldn’t have a job
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3958380.ece
because all this can do your head in
http://www.mind.org.uk/help/people_groups_and_communities/how_to_cope_with_doubts_about_your_sexuality
that’s why we have Pride.
Dear Peter,
Interesting that you felt the need to comment upon an article that you’d clearly not read. “…if there is a Leeds Pride event…”, well there certainly is. All those words above your comiment? That’s kind of what they’re about. One minor point – if someone’s looking at pictures of children for sexual gratification or engaging in sexual activity with animals (as listed in the ‘innocent pastimes’ section of your response), then someone or something is being harmed – unlike if they were in a consensual gay relationship. If you’d feel more comfortable explaining one of the recent English Defence League marches to a child than you would a Pride march, you probably should have a little think about why you think hatred is a more palatable concept than unity (or, even if you think Pride is purely about who people like to have sex with, surely it’s not that uncomfortable for you to explain?)
Most importantly, Martin – you look sensational in that photo. I think the most sure-fire way of having the best Pride ever would be to catch a glimpse of you in all your finery!
Perter being gay isn’t about being perverse and just about having sex… which is all you have seemed to focus on in your comment.
Peter, you have clearly never been beaten up for your sexuality, perceived or otherwise, or been shouted at most days from cars, vans and pedestrians on the street. You don’t know anybody who has been negatively affected by the sort of ignorant comments, drawing inappropriate comparisons with paraphilias and perversity, made in your post.
Another link to add to Jon’s.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/8682362/Rudolf-Brazda.html#disqus_thread
And if you think it hyperbole to raise the spectre of the holocaust it only took 10 or 15 years for the Nazi party to move from national joke, polling little more than the BNP do today, to being architects of a genocide.
This seems all a bit heavy going on this blog but then that’s culture innit, you never know where it will lead you.
Anyway i just wish i could do stuff straight folk take for granted like holding hands in the street. And why don’t gay pubs do decent beer?
Joel,
I took part in the agitation for the law to be changed back in the ’60s. The BNP were around then under a different name. The last government were oppressive in matters of civil rights but this government has a a more liberal tendency. I don’t see the far right as being any more popular now than ever.
Katie, I am sure you are right, but surely the definition of ‘Gay’ is that one finds ones own gender attractive. That is a sexual preference. If you go too far from that you run the risk of saying that gay and straight people are fundamentally different, which seems to me unlikely. that could be said of any sexual or non sexual preference. That is my point.
Penny, There are people looking for trouble in all walks of life, from football supporters to racists. I have a friend who was beaten with an iron bar for being a communist. The point I am making is that you just are gay. Of course you should take pride in yourself, as should we all. Its not a matter for discrimination or promotion.
The problem is a lot of people still do feel discriminated against for being LGBTQ.
I think Pride is a great opportunity for everyone in the community (straight people included) to celebrate the fact that they believe LGBTQ people are the same as straight people, and that they deserve the same rights and respect.
It is not a sex pride march, it’s a march to say, I like people of the same gender/I have an alternative gender identity, and that is fine. It is a good opportunity to talk to your children about what it means to be LGBTQ and how you would support them if they felt that they were LGBTQ.
Clearly, Peter, you missed the bit that said ‘Be nice’ above the Leave a comment box.
You’ve also missed a lot of what goes on in the real world too, apparently. We don’t have gay pride marches to flaunt our sex lives, we do it for two reasons:
– to celebrate how far we’ve come in terms of equal rights
– to recognise how far we’ve yet to go
The second part of that is to make ourselves visible, to show unity throughout in the face of on going discrimination and hatred, and to show the diversity of our community in order to challenge sterotypes surrounding LGBTQ people.
Judging by your comment, we’ve a long way to go.
It’s not about what I like to do in bed with my boyfriend, it’s so much more than that. It’s a reaction to the discrimination I face because of what I do in bed involves someone of the same sex.
I find it shocking that you can liken homosexuality and bisexuality to illegal and horrible acts such as paedophilia. Whilst you make no direct reference to it (in true Melanie Philips style), you certainly allude to it in your comment.
We don’t have a right to publically parade our sexual ‘proclivities’, but we do have a right to stand up for ourselves, make our community heard and say a big **** you to those who abuse us. Since the last Leeds Pride, 12 months ago, I can count at least six of my friends who have been beaten up or punched based on their sexuality. We ARE being hurt. And we ARE going to stand up against it.
Clearly, if you’ve not heard about the Leeds Pride march, or you’re still holding such views as you suggest in your comments, we aren’t working hard enough. Hopefully this year the parade and the event will be loud and proud enough to blow some cobwebs out of your opinions, and some sense into your ears.
Oh and Peter, I’m not gay (or at least I’m closer to straight on the Kinsey scale). I’ve just been queerbashed, as has my husband, and am frequently the recipient of homophobic abuse, so despite being heterosexual have some experience of why Pride is needed. Just as Black History Month and feminist organisations etc are needed. Just because members of privileged groups such as white straight males reckon minorities have it all sorted these days, doesn’t mean it’s true.
I don’t get it.
If being gay is nothing to discriminate or promote and therefore there’s no need to have a festival about it – are you suggesting Peter, we stop having fun and festival’s full stop?
Because there’s no point to discriminate or promote anything really is there? Other than a desire to share in celebration.
I had a fantastic time at Gay Pride last year!
I’m working today so can’t make it, but judging by the texts I’ve had from friends who are out at Pride today, the rain certainly isn’t dampening their spirits!
Hope everyone who is out today has an amazing time – can’t wait to see all the fabulous photos 🙂