Pride without prejudice: Report from the gay parade in Brighton
All weekend United Kingdom together with the global LGBT community was in a rainbow ecstasy - in Brighton, the resort city on the English Channel, this year 200,000 people gathered from all over the world to become part of the anniversary, 25th Brighton gay parade. In addition to ideological reasons, this is a massive excuse to give everything to the maximum, to merge in a single positive outburst: if you dress up, then you’ll do it all at once, if you have makeup, then with false eyelashes, if you have fun, then you’ll have enough strength.
Brighton Pride is the largest and most important in the UK. For representatives of the queer community, this is almost the second birthday and the triumph of the victory over the discrimination and prejudices of society is not final, but noticeable. It all started with a small march of Sussex Gay Liberatiom Front in 1971: the parade experienced ups and downs, but only by the middle of the “zero” did a multi-thousand international event grow. Like any big official holiday, Brighton Pride now brings to its creators not only satisfaction, but also income that is donated to charity.
The parade is held annually in the first week of August, each "Pride" has its own motto: Brighton Pride - 2015 is called Carnival of Diversity, or "Carnival of Diversity". In addition to the participants, the sensations from the parade are also diverse. The event seems sentimental, if you know its history, and appeals to “Be proud of who you are, don't be ashamed of yourself” from the crowd are sometimes crawled to goosebumps - while everything is extremely bright and fun, suits that begin to sew one year in advance will envy London's Notting Hill Carnival, and not only LGBT people come to ride on this visual attraction, but also heterosexual families with children - nobody here is afraid of "propaganda." By the way, on the official website of Brighton Pride there is even an option "ticket for the whole family" - two adults plus children.
For me, Brighton Pride is partly a personal story. It so happened that I have many friends, as they say in Russia, lowering my voice, "unconventional orientation." And, probably, the main thing that I learned from them is to accept people as they are. Not in the hackneyed sense of this phrase, when everyone knows that this is the way it is, but in practice it somehow does not work - namely, the art of agreeing with any person’s right to express themselves, unless, of course, it does not discriminate others. So, "Brighton Pride" is very much about this - one overwhelming solidarity that will paint anyone in their rainbow colors. The festival’s message has long grown out of a “gay event,” like from old pants (well, or leggings), everyone who wants to feel like who they want to and do not fear for the consequences. At every step, there is a risk of becoming softer, more tolerant and more fun, reviewing our views on work, relationships and the world around us.
Not only LGBT people come to Pride, but also heterosexual families with children - no one here is afraid of "propaganda."
On the day of the parade, I woke up early - in anticipation, well, make-up needed a lot of time. I especially like this tradition of “Pride”: even if you do not march in a column and do not represent a group, you still try to somehow express your involvement - even if you draw a small rainbow on your cheek. By the way, throughout England shortly before the parade, separate shelves appeared in supermarkets with multi-colored wigs, cosmetics, flags and clothes in the style of a drag artist. I chose not the most intricate path, painting the eyelids with bright shadows, added pink blush and a fly. She pulled on a pink T-shirt and the brightest leggings in her wardrobe.
As I approached Brighton — I was driving a car — more and more rainbow flags hung on buildings. And without a navigator, it's clear: you're on the right track. After a long cloudy period in England, suddenly an incredibly sunny day, the main roads are blocked, there is excitement and excitement around. Someone is sitting right on the grass, finishing up the make-up, so the father warns the children that if they don’t come out now, they’ll be late for the parade, to my left two guys in ballet tutus are slowly crossing the street. Do not linger! I need to get to Preston Park, which for the weekend turned into the headquarters of Brighton Pride, to meet with Charlie Mackie - one of the activists and organizers of the parade.
On the clock of twelve days, the procession along King's Street will begin very soon. "Honey, every time I get nervous before the start," Charlie complains straight off. I am already standing at one of the entrances to Preston Park, where the entertainment part will begin after the parade. Charlie has lists, VIP bracelets, booklets everywhere. I note that his makeup is, of course, better than mine. He is dressed according to the unwritten laws of "Pride" - as if blindly got five things out of the closet. We're going to chat a bit deep into the park, and I ask Charlie about his first memory of the parade.
"I was fourteen then. I remember there were a lot of sparkles - yes, I was all in them! Tons of soap suds from all sides ... Party after the parade at the club. I have very jerky memories. Tangled hair, smeared makeup all over my face, but I It was so good and so spit. Unbelievable feelings. Over time, I realized that I wanted not only to hang out on the Pride but also to do something for him - and now, as you can see, I work. you see so many people obsessed with one idea and ideals. This year we expect about 200,000 people In the past, there were 160,000, but it was not an anniversary. We and many other organizers prepared a lot of things: free champagne and treats, a performance by Fatboy Slim. Although not we, in fact, create this event, but people. We only help In the evening, by the way, one of the stars must look in - openly and incognito. But I won’t tell you who is the spoiler. Try to find it yourself - at the main stage ", - Charlie playfully flaps her false eyelashes.
I say goodbye to Charlie and find myself thinking that I will not look for any stars, I still don’t recognize them behind layers of makeup. Yes, and at the parade of their stars enough. Moving on, closer to the main street, where the procession will take place. The parade has not started yet, circling around, exploring the neighborhood. People waiting occupied the whole territory - they sit along the road, on the lawns, on the porches of the houses. Around now and then run all the sellers. Then you have the whistles, and the pink "Union Jack", and neon lip gloss, and also "Jelly vodka" - literally vodka in jelly, in small cups in a cardboard niche from under the eggs. Very elegant and comfortable, it should be noted. By the way, you can become the owner of some souvenir for free if you make a donation, for this there are many activists with baskets around. I decided to ask one of them how things were going and where the money was going.
“People at Pride are usually generous. So it is today. Especially, all the money is sent to charitable foundations that support sexual minorities. I also work for free, it’s for happiness. There’s such an atmosphere here that, on the contrary, you feel rested" - briefly told me Stephen and shook boxing with donations from my ear. By the way, as it turned out, Stephen is heterosexual, it turned out after my question at random. His short shorts in close-fitting with high boots, alas, set me on the wrong track.
Talking about the parade in Brighton is not in the context of Brighton itself is impossible and even somehow ignorant - because the parade is only part of the quaint portrait of this town-phenomenon on the coast. The choice of the city for Brighton Pride is not accidental, moreover, his figure is especially important in this case. Brighton for Great Britain is a sign of the quality of free spirit and no less free love. Therefore, the London parades always remain in the brackets, the LGBT movement in the UK was in charge of the Brighton. This is an amazing city - it is as eclectic as London, but at the same time very homogeneous. There are no white-collar workers hurrying to meet with coffee, they don’t come here to build a career, have fun, experience existential crises, and instead of a Guinness pint after a hard day, they prefer peach puree during the brunch.
At Brighton Pride not overflowed, and therefore it is very convenient to make new acquaintances. Then you pushed, then you. Then you apologized, you kindly answered, they say, by the way, you look cool. And off we go. Thus I get acquainted with the couple - Michael Erton and Anthony Kirk. They are not too brightly dressed and seemingly a little embarrassed - probably they only delve into what is happening. “You see, I became openly gay just two weeks ago. The parade, one might say, became a pretext. When you see that so many people are not afraid to declare themselves, you start to think - and what am I slowing down? What are I waiting for? with everyone on the “prides.” And I decided, Anthony supported me very much, he was openly gay. Most of the colleagues and some relatives reacted normally, some admitted that they suspected. There were also those who were convicted for religious reasons. But now it’s so easy for me Still, a bit unusual, it's like walking on one Oh, and suddenly wake up with two. There are so many new opportunities to get used to. I still feel that I have to hide and hide. And this is in England, where everything is liberal. I can’t imagine what non-traditional people in other countries have you probably need to be very brave and very strong in Russia in order to allow yourself to have same-sex relationships at all. I don’t know if I could, ”Michael shared the reason for his embarrassment.
The parade does not start. I sit down on the grass and unwittingly adjoin a large group of children - from England, France, Poland, Venezuela, Germany ... and Russia. With us, two girls, Emma and Shannon - a couple. Suddenly in a conversation, Logan, one of the guys, decided to try on the subject of the naturalness of Emma's chest. The rights of the sweetheart immediately began to defend Shannon: "Hey, what are you? You can't just touch and touch my girl's breast! And it doesn't matter that you are gay and there is no sexual connotation here. Now, if I grabbed you for a member , how would you feel? " Logan apologized a thousand times, everyone kissed three times. And our conversation gradually with a discussion of the limits of permissible spills in the topic of legalizing same-sex marriage.
In St. Petersburg, my friend got a knife, and when she came to the police, they said: "We do not serve lesbians"
“On the Pride, I sometimes feel sad — in Britain, minorities have all the rights. You are not forced to feel defective, you can consider yourself a part of society. You can have children!” Vlad from Russia immediately joins the conversation. of unrealistic dreams. I don’t have a permanent young man and plans for my family, but how do they appear when we are hunting for gay people? Now everyone is being “tracked by LGBT people” through dating sites and bullied. My girlfriend was stabbed with a knife, and when she came to the police then said "Lesbians do not serve" And it happened in St. Petersburg, where I moved from Moscow to feel safer I can not even dress the way I want And you - marriage, marriage ... "...
“You know, I realized that today I had another reason for pride - pride in the country. For the fact that in the UK we have achieved equal rights. I am heterosexual and not quite in the subject. This is my first parade, came because my friends told a lot. I had not realized how lousy it could be if you were born with a non-traditional orientation in a country with a tough policy on this subject, "says Chris.
“You see, it’s not just a matter of fact, you can marry - you can’t marry. Or“ formally form unions ”, this language makes you sick, reminds you of biology lessons. The fact is that the impossibility of officially being with a partner imposes its social imprint involuntarily you begin to perceive relationships as second-rate. Have you ever read the laws? You will not even be allowed into the hospital, the child can also be brought in only through the official registration of relations. It turns out that society considers itself entitled to stop your relations .. Tions, not to give them to develop not give you to be happy We all should try to arrange international campaign to stir the consciousness of homophobic countries ", - fervently declares Sarah from Berlin.
"It is very sad to realize, but Russia, alas, is moving in the opposite direction of the progress of public consciousness. Even five years ago, everything was literally more rosy, but now the government and society have become much more aggressive to accept LGBT people. All this stands in the way of the community representatives and building relationships: you have to hide, beware, and the chances of creating a strong alliance tend to zero.It is insulting to tears and resembles fascism, when one category of people consider themselves better than another, they consider themselves entitled to destroy and boycott. As if they say to you, they say, either sacrifice your feelings and desires to the system, or go to the social garbage dump ", - with bitterness and I join in the conversation. But I do not have time to finish.
Somewhere in the distance there is noise and din. Began, cheers! We quickly move to the road. Mounted police galloping impressively towards us, the police on motorcycles follow them - the last one just does not get through. A crowd rushes at the place of law. Selfie with a policeman - the trend of the parade. I'm not sure exactly, but it seems that the public is amused by the combination of power and testosterone against the motley drag-queen skirts.
After the police finally parade the main characters parade. The road is more like a catwalk - the procession participants, like models, stop and patiently pose for photographers. Meter wigs, sweeping elf wings, feathers, Iroquois - as if someone endlessly turns one big kaleidoscope. “No, well, I just adore this day. It is like a second Christmas for us,” the stranger shares a beard with sequins in a rush. I have time to spread a few short phrases with a policeman. It turns out that the parade was detained because they found something resembling an explosive device. It took an hour and a half to neutralize and correct the route. At the same time, the law enforcement officer noted that Brighton Pride is a very peaceful event and for so many people there are very few incidents.
What fights - it seems that Brighton breathes the sea air and feeds on the energy of the creative class raging on its streets. He is like that eternal student - she would have been able to get a job and make good money long ago, but she spends all the time talking about the eternal, and free money - on books. Charity shops, nudist beaches, surfing, street art, painted chuby, hundreds of gulls walking around the city, like at home, pubs in Victorian-era mansions, galleries and, of course, beggars, dressed up in such a way that a relaxed street style would be rubbed from annoyance. This is all, as the English say, "very bright".
For the next few hours I am in the blissful state of unconditional love. Everyone around them is hugging, congratulating each other, laughing loudly and chanting: "Be who you are and be proud of yourself." It involuntarily seems that you are truly understood and absolutely accepted here. Feeling like a drug - I want more and more. One of the girls is trying to flirt with me. I warn her about my orientation, to which I get an answer: “Oh, it’s doubly steeper that you are heterosexual and you are here! Thank you for your support, thank you for being with us.” In fact, there are a lot of people of all ages like me, hetero at the parade. And we come here, probably, not only to support - but to support us too, to make us more confident, to stand up for ourselves.
Brighton stands on the coast, which, of course, explains a lot - and it is easier to breathe and think. It is difficult to imagine that any other city in England would so organically undertake the mission of the gay capital of Great Britain. It is a mission, not a title. Because the latter can simply be worn, and for the first you need to do something. So, Brighton Pride organizes film shows, conferences, breakfasts in parks all year round in the context of the LGBT movement.
It seems that this city exists as a utopia, as if it had been put on the map, as if a beautiful statuette had been placed to decorate a mediocre pier glass. It seems that he does not carry any function except aesthetic, and as if he was created so that people could come here to please the eye, and the rest of the body. By the way, tourists usually go first to the Royal Pavilion, a cross between the Blue Mosque and the Taj Mahal - initially the architectural complex was designed for the entertainment of George IV. So, obviously, fun in Brighton took place at the beginning of the XIX century.
Jubilee Brighton Pride celebrated, of course, until victory. After the march through the main streets, guests and parade participants of the parade hive moved to Preston Park to dance, listen to music and ride the rides. The answer to the question of what happened afterwards should be sought in the pubs. By the way, no one takes off the costumes, so it is quite possible to see the hero of the procession in the costume of a priest, who lazily left a censer on the bar and sipping scotch whiskey. After the pubs - clubs, after clubs - again, everything is new. The mass rainbow marathon ends only on Tuesday evening, and the unspoken one lasts until the end of the week. No, always lasts. This is Brighton.
Photo: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 via Flickr