Michael Johnson, Yorkshire Socialist Party
Organisers of Sheffield Pride have sparked criticism of the event after calling Pride a “celebration, not a protest.” Organisers informed attendees that political groups would not be allowed on the march, placards and banners would be checked beforehand in case they cause offense, and attendees should wear bright clothes.
LGBT+ people were quick to point to the origins of Pride as a political protest and the need for Pride events to take up the struggles facing LGBT+ people today – locally in the face of austerity and international issues.
Faced with this backlash the Pride organisers have started to back down from their guidelines after initially threatening legal action against “those who have created all this drama.” However this issue underlines the growing divide between the ‘leadership’ of the LGBT+ organisations and the needs of LGBT+ people themselves.
The Socialist Party sees the vital need for Pride to be part of a fighting movement as well as a celebration will be taking part in Pride events across the country putting forward socialist ideas against capitalist prejudice and big business exploitation, and for LGBT+ liberation.