This year’s Durham Pride on Saturday 30 May is set to be the biggest yet as the LGBTQ+ community and their allies converge on the city from across the country in a huge show of solidarity following the loss of funding from Reform-led Durham County Council.
Durham Pride was founded in 2014 with an audience of just 1500. Against all the odds it has survived and grown, with more than 20,000 people joining the county-wide celebrations in 2023. It is an inclusive celebration which has enjoyed support from a wide cross-section of the community including the Police and Crime Commissioner, Durham University, trade unions, faith groups and numerous businesses. Globally, the Pride movement has played a pivotal role in promoting greater awareness and visibility of the LGBTQ+ community. But there has also been push back from conservative forces with attempts to ban Pride marches in some countries.
Hungary
Last year Viktor Orbán, the then Prime Minister of Hungary, attempted to ban Budapest Pride by passing a new law subordinating the freedom of assembly to a 2021 child protection law that equated homosexuality with paedophilia, and therefore banned the portrayal or promotion of homosexuality in places where children might see it. However, the Mayor of Budapest defied the right-wing government, using a 2001 law stating that events organised by councils do not fall under the right of assembly. Instead of the usual 35,000 participants an estimated 200,000 people subsequently filled the streets of Budapest, marching not simply under the Rainbow flag but making a visible protest about wider human and civil rights which had been seriously eroded under Orbán’s authoritarian regime.
This huge act of defiance signalled the beginning of the end for Orbán whose party Fidesz lost the general election a few months later to a more moderate and inclusive party.
Durham Reform and Pride
Whilst the Reform council has not banned Durham Pride their spiteful gestural politics are clear for all to see. Removing the Pride flag along with the Ukrainian flag was one of the first things that the new Reform administration did upon assuming office on 21 May last year. However, in an act of joyful resistance Durham University is now flying the Pride flag from Durham Castle, a stone’s throw from County Hall where a few weeks ago Reform Council Leader, Andrew Husband, remained tight-lipped about a homophobic slur he had posted on North Durham Labour Party’s Facebook page.
Dr Maria Exall, a member of the National Executive Council of the Communication Workers Union and Chair of the TUC LGBT+ Committee, will be speaking at this year’s event. Ahead of Saturday she said, “This year’s Durham Pride is being supported and sponsored by the Trade Union movement. The Reform Council pulled the plug on Pride because they do not support working class people in all our wonderful diversity. On their first day in power Reform removed the Pride Flag and the Ukrainian flag from Durham Council offices. Reform are friends of Putin who oppose democracy and spread a homophobic and transphobic autocracy. These friends of Putin follow the bidding of the international far right. They want to take away our freedom to live safe and truthful lives.”
Support from LGBT+ community and trade unions
Durham County Council’s projected financial contribution to Pride was comparatively small, totalling £2,500. However, Durham Pride has already more than replaced this sum with support from the Durham Miners Association, student bodies and various trade unions including Equity who donated more than £7,000 as part of a package to ensure that the event is financially viable and that performers are fairly remunerated.
Stephen Guy, Chair of the Durham Miners’ Association, said, “Reform councillors across County Durham have underestimated the resolve of the LGBT+ community and the support of allies across the trade union movement.”
“Show up for Pride and get the banners out!”
Pride organiser, Mel Metcalf, said, “…nobody can stop (Durham) Pride. They said Pride won’t happen, Pride is finished, Pride is done. But they don’t control Pride, we do. So show up for Pride and get the banners out!”
The main event is a parade which sets off from Durham Cathedral at 11am on Saturday morning and winds its way to The Sands which is a ticketed area. However, the programme proper kicks off on Friday eve with a ‘Back to the 90’s’ theme. Meanwhile, on Saturday Gareth Gates is the big attraction along with former Corrie star Adam Rickitt.
Local drag queen Tess Tickle will once again host the proceedings with her inimitable saucy warmth. Tess was the star act at a Durham Pride fundraising event recently. Appearing with her ‘Dragettes’ she powered through an amazingly diverse set with multiple costume changes and at the end removed her wig and frock to stand in front of the audience as the ‘gay boy from Ferryhill’ who was once bullied for being different but is now one of the county’s most loved and generous icons. Tess’s charity, the Angel Trust, has raised huge amounts of money for a variety of local causes. However, Tess’s most notable achievement is persuading Ferryhill Town Council to fly the Pride flag, a story which begins with Tess challenging the homophobic Town Mayor a few years ago and forcing him to resign.
Whilst Saturday’s events are hugely important, Durham Pride is much more than an annual knees-up to celebrate diversity. The organising body is now an LGBTQ+ charity dedicated to promoting equality and diversity for public benefit and in particular the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity of those living in County Durham and the surrounding areas. Ahead of the weekend Durham Pride reported on their Facebook page:
“This year, reports of homophobic abuse to our charity helpline have sharply increased. Hate incidents are affecting more members of our community than ever before, spreading fear and causing real harm. We cannot allow this to go unchallenged.
“Durham Pride needs you to stand up and be counted. Your voice and your presence show that we will not tolerate hate. Join us to support those affected, celebrate diversity, and make it clear: homophobia has no place here. Together, we can fight back against abuse and build a safer, more inclusive community.”
Wellphotos | Dreamstime.com
Durham City Labour MP, Mary Kelly Foy, wrote:
“It is incredibly concerning, but sadly not surprising, that the Durham Pride UK charity’s helpline has seen an increase in homophobic abuse over the last year.
“People may not agree with me, but I don’t think it’s a coincidence that this has happened after far right attitudes and rhetoric have been emboldened across the county and wider country.
“I for one cannot wait for Durham Pride this weekend, it’ll be bigger and better than ever and a huge inclusive demonstration showing that our marginalised communities will never be silenced!
Why not join us this year – bring your brightest outfits, flags and banners – and most importantly your dancing shoes and loudest singing voices. Come and see for yourself that Durham is a beautifully inclusive city packed to the rafters with brilliant people and if you don’t fancy it well that’s fine, just don’t spread hate toward those who enjoy it.”
Ticket sales from Pride will help cover the costs of raising awareness and educating the public about the issues and difficulties affecting the lives of LGBTQ+ people. This includes the helpline, specialist training to frontline agencies and providing specialist services to victim-survivors of same sex domestic/sexual violence and abuse, hate crime and bullying.
You can find out more from the website https://durhamprideuk.org/
Tickets for this year’s Pride are available from Eventbrite
