Accessibility and Pride 2025 - Share Your Pride Photos!🏳️‍🌈

Mary_Scope

Over the years, I’ve been to a range of Pride events from smaller, grassroots celebrations in my local town to the city weekend festivals with headline acts like Manchester and Brighton. I even saw Gok Wan do DJ set at Manchester Pride 2023 which I’ve included a photo of below! 🤩

If you’ve never been to Pride before, I honestly can’t recommend it enough. Whether you're part of the LGBTQ+ community or an ally, it is always such a fun day and it really is a space full of joy and respect with a real sense of safety and belonging.

I’ve had to use various accommodations over the years while at Pride due to my disability such as making sure I have access to a disabled toilet, a carers ticket etc and I have to say, every time I’ve needed support at Pride the process has been smooth and positive especially compared to other events I've been to!

If you’re thinking about going to a Pride celebration and want to know more about accessibility then this link on planning accessible pride is really useful✨

Have you ever been to Pride? Or do you have photos from Pride that you want to share? I would love to hear all about it!

Steve_in_The_City

Hi @Mary_Scope and anyone else following this thread.

I was on the 2nd Pride march when I was 16 and that is decades ago!. There were more police people than marchers! I was in the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) and I was completely illegal and there were police people around me all the time! I really didn't care: I just thought bally it boy, stand up for yourself. My boyfriend was a white South African human rights lawyer, so obviously I got into the politics. Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys Pride, because it teaches us that we can all be different.

MW123

@Steve_in_The_City

Next month, our town will be celebrating its 21st Pride Festival! My family has been attending since it first began, back when it was a much smaller event. Over the years, it has grown, with larger parades, live music, stalls, fairground rides, and plenty of activities for younger children. There’s truly something for everyone, making it a highly anticipated event each year for many locals and visitors.

I also wanted to share a little story about my late mother, the ultimate pearl-clutching traditionalist. She once questioned why we attended, convinced that it couldn’t possibly be suitable for children and families, or, in her words, people like us!

One year, I decided to ask her, instead of criticising, why not come and experience it for herself? To my surprise, she took me up on the offer. However, when we set out, she had that look on her face as though she’d already made her mind up about the whole thing. I could tell she was sceptical, but I was hopeful that the experience might change her view.

As soon as we arrived, and she started bumping into many of her friends who were there with their own families, everything changed. It was as if she’d been given an instant introduction to a new perspective. After that initial surprise, she found herself enjoying it so much that she attended every year for the last five years of her life.

Steve_in_The_City

Hi and hello @MW123 That is a wondrous story about your mum. I am glad everything worked out well.

Mary_Scope

Wow what an amazing story @Steve_in_The_City, it sounds like you and your boyfriend were one of many who paved the way for Pride in the UK!😄

Thank you for sharing that @MW123. I think some people can have preconceptions and misunderstandings of what Pride is so it's really nice to hear that she enjoyed it so much😄

Albus_Scope

I'm sad I had to miss out on Pride locally again this year. But it was far too close after the op and I don't think I'd have been able to not tap my foot along with all the awesome music. Which would've been very painful. 😆

But the photos I saw from friends showed a hugely diverse group of people, all smiling and having fun. Beautiful to see. ❤️