Birmingham Pride 2015 – great solidarity, but is it too commercial?

Pride was an enjoyable and liberating experience, writes Bob Whitehead, but we can question the direction it is going in.

The Birmingham two-day Pride Festival began on Saturday with the spectacle of the parade. Big crowds turned out to see a huge variety of individuals and groups walking through the centre of Birmingham – these included fire-fighters, teachers, police, actors, scouts, sportspeople, ambulance workers, students and many trades unions. Many of the latter were grouped in a contingent “Lesbians and Gays support the miners”, in memory of the huge role that this group played during the miners’ strike of thirty years ago. There were more political elements, such as those supporting LGBT refugees, and, not to forget, the Birmingham Left Unity contingent.

But overall, although it perfectly complemented the crushing defeat of the reactionaries in Ireland, it could not be said that the parade was a highly radical and political event itself. There was a big commercial element, with many corporate floats. Whether the main aim of these was for companies let their LGBTQ staff celebrate, or whether it was just an opportunity not to be missed for a good piece of advertising via corporate sponsorship, is a question that could be asked.

This is not to say that it was not a very successful, enjoyable and liberating experience for all who took part or who watched, it is just to question the direction that Pride is going in.

Birmingham City Council has slashed its funding to culture, such as for Vaisakhi, and for the St. Patrick’s Day parade, and of course to its one-year-and-a-half year old library. The funding cut to Pride may explain the big entrance price for the main events (£20), and the need to look elsewhere for funding.

Birmingham Left Unity also had a stall, and its leaflet featured a quote from its 2015 election manifesto:

“Left Unity will be a voice against all aspects of prejudice against LGBTQ people, which despite recent legal improvements is still rampant and institutionalised, especially in schools”

For more pictures, visit the Birmingham Left Unity site: https://leftunitybirmingham.wordpress.com/