Manchester Pride in Photos
29 Aug
There was at lively contingent from Queer Youth Network, injecting Pride with an important political message- LGBT liberation hasn’t been achieved and Pride shouldn’t be about profit at the expense of protest.
LGBTory. The Conservatives cleverly erasing Trans identity with their very name. I take it they haven’t heard of Section 28?
Labour Party wearing some snazzy ‘I’ve Never Kissed a Tory’ shirts. You can’t tell from the photo, but there’s actually quite a lot of them.
About 6 Lib Dems.
The contingent from the Lesbian and Gay Foundation (LGF), featuring their “Homo Heroes”. It doesn’t take much to be a hero these days, does it? Lindsey Lohan is one, as is Tony Blair. Apparently.
Quite impressive bus from the UNITE union (one of Manchester Pride’s sponsors).
George House Trust raising awareness of HIV stigma.
Plenty of enthusiastic support for LGBT NHS workers.
Pink owl.
Others present at the Pride Parade included the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT), the Fire Service, the Unitarian Church, Quakers, LGBT Parents, Liverpool John Moores University, Salford Ladies United Temperance Society (the fabulous SLUTS) and Amnesty International. On a lesser note, the police, the Prison Service and – unbelievably – the UK Border Agency also marched (how many LGBT asylum seekers have they sent to their deaths?)
Tags: amnesty international, Labour, LGBTQ, Lib Dems, Unite
Can’t believe the Tories showed up.
Good day out.. still can’t believe the Tories.. we had words about it after the event.. believe..
Missed any images of the trans groups.. so heres one..
[img]http://x111.com/blog/janrocks/files/2009/08/pride010-300×225.jpg[/img]
LGBTory is known as such as it’s a play on words. The group has trans members who are more than happy with the name.
The Conservatives now have the biggest number of LGBT councillors and prospective MPs than ever before.
Considering that the Party is the most likely to win the next General Election, it’s good that there are so many of us carrying the banner for LGBT rights in ALL political parties.
LGBTory, what a joke. Do these idiots believe that a party that introduced Section 28 will do anything other than attack the limited yet very real gains of LGBT people in this country.
We are no joke Chris.It’s time to come into the 21st Century instead of harping on about the past.I never agreed with Section 28 but,how many Labour and working class people opposed it’s repeal?Believe me,I know there were many.We are a modern party that is open to all.Yes,there is still bigotry but,that exists in all parties and we are working to eradicate it.We are as Good As You and have a right to take part.That’s if you lot still believe in democracy.
Dear me, can you bigots not muster enough intelligence to reply to any criticism these days? Here are the points Chris raised:
“Who was it that backed an amendment in 2003 essentially bringing in section 28 through the back door as the Labour government abolished the act? David Cameron. Who attacked the Labour government for bringing in moderate reforms for LGBT people in 2000? David Cameron. Who opposed adoption rights for LGBT couples? David Cameron. Who has missed numerous key votes on LGBT issues? David Cameron. Who has formed a new Euro group with the likes of Jaroslaw Kaczy´nski (PiS leader) and Mirek Topolánek (ODS Leader), who are both viscously anti LGBT? David Cameron.”
So here’s the bigotry your nasty organisation should answer to:
-Section 28 through the back door
- Adoption rights
-Missing votes on LGBT issues
-Entering into alliances with homophobic fascists and far-right nationalists in the European parliament
You might also want to address why David Cameron doesn’t support IVF for lesbians while you’re at it?
I look forward to your response.
“We are as Good As You”.
Oh well, you used capitals. That must mean it’s true.
Section 28 was over twenty years ago. David Cameron has already apologised for this in recent weeks, saying “I am sorry for Section 28. We got it wrong. It was an emotional issue. I hope you can forgive us.”
I think it’s more relevant for us to be concerned about the future and not the past. LGBTory is proving to be a vehicle that can raise awareness within the Conservatives on LGBT issues and I believe it’s vital that this is done, not least with the prospect of a general election within a year.
There’s still lots of work to be done for LGBT rights. Let’s be constructive in moving forward this agenda, not negative and dismissive, as this will get us nowhere.
Constructive, yeah right! I am sure the Daily Mail brigade will do wonders for LGBT people when they get in power. We should be dismissive, the Conservative party is full of homophobes and bigots who allow useful idiots like yourself give them cover.
Who was it that backed an amendment in 2003 essentially bringing in section 28 through the back door as the Labour government abolished the act? David Cameron. Who attacked the Labour government for bringing in moderate reforms for LGBT people in 2000? David Cameron. Who opposed adoption rights for LGBT couples? David Cameron. Who has missed numerous key votes on LGBT issues? David Cameron. Who has formed a new Euro group with the likes of Jaroslaw Kaczy´nski (PiS leader) and Mirek Topolánek (ODS Leader), who are both viscously anti LGBT? David Cameron. In politics you judge people, not on what they say but on what they do. Clearly Cameron is talking “progressive” but has acted consistently against the limited gains this Labour government has brought in for LGBT people and couples.
Chris says it all. I don’t think the handful of trans members that Matt is so keen to point out (or the existence of a LGBT group which isn’t even linked on the Conservative Party website) alters the true nature of the organisation. Heck, the BNP has stood candidates of Jewish origin in the past; it doesn’t alter its anti-Semitism. The Conservatives are a genuine threat to the fragile and hard-fought gains that Labour has brought for LGBT people in this country. They have an appalling record and should be opposed on every level. Who cares if Cameron apologised for Section 28? If he wanted to demonstrate that he gives a damn about LGBT rights today, he wouldn’t have voted against lesbian fertility rights, let alone entered into a European alliance with the fascist, virulently homophobic far-right.
Imagine the outrage if Labour named its LGBT group “LabourGBT”, effectively removing the lesbian identity from its grouping? I’m sure everyone understands that LGBTory is intended as a play on words- it’s just not that funny considering that trans people are one of the weakest and most oppressed minority groups in the UK today.
“hard-fought gains that Labour has brought for LGBT people in this country”
Hard fought yes, but not by reluctant Labour, but by organic campaigns by LGBTQ people themselves, independent of the government who are all too willing to allow bosses, clergymen etc. etc to swipe at LGBTQ people at will.
Equal adoption rights (which are yet to appear by the way) were forced upon Labour by European Union directives.
As was the right for LGBTQ people to serve in the armed forces (?!)). This, quite unsurprisingly, is the story of many of the mild gains LGBTQ people have managed to steal from the Labour clenched fist of liberties.
Labour have an awful record on LGBTQ, much of which have stemmed from bureaucracy in Europe! It’s also of note that Labour hasn’t taken any revolutionary initiatives on LGBTQ rights, but have taken action only when it’s become irresponcible not to do so – because it’s a clear case of systematic inequality for LGBTQ people.
However you’re completely right to point out that even the limited gains of bourgeois equality ganted by Labour are not on the agenda of the tories. And what’s worth remembering is that such limted reforms exist in statute only and unless they are coupled with mobilisation from the LGBTQ community themselves, they are open to be wiped away, re-crimminalising LGBTQ people for their sexuality or gender deviancy. I for one do not trust a tory government with my sexual freedom, but that doesn’t mean i’ll give Labour an uncritical free ride either.
What rubbish Chris. Frankly, the Conservatives have vast numbers, of L G B and T members.
Now where do I start. The Conservative Party has: –
2 Members of the Shadow Cabinet who are openly gay (the Shadow Environment Secretary and Shadow Leader of the House)
Shadow Minister for Climate Change
Our Deputy Chairman, Margot James (who is also Parliamentary candidate for Stourbridge)
7 candidates at the next election who publically are gay (there’s a lot of gay candidates from all parties who don’t want to discuss their private lives), including candidates like Stuart Andrews in Pudsey, Margot James in Stourbridge and Iain Stewart in Milton Keynes S which are top targets for the Conservatives at the next election.
The Deputy Mayor of London with Boris Johnson, along with other Assembly members.
Countless number of councillors
Frankly, as with the majority of LGBT friends that I have, they are going to vote overwhelmingly Conservative at the next election. All the polling evidence says it. And why.
Because we have a strong leader in David Cameron who wants to bring change to all of Britain’s people, whether you are LGBT or straight, male of female, black and white. Change is coming to the UK, and millions of LGBT people are looking forwards to that change.
Really? You have LGBT members! Well, that solves it then. You can’t possibly be a homophobic organisation.
Pity that’s not really an argument you’re making there. Earlier I pointed out that the BNP has stood Jewish candidates in elections; just because you’ve managed to find a few LGBT folks willing to gloss over decades of bigotry, which continues to hold sway in the party until this day, doesn’t mean you’re absolved.
Below are the points raised by Chris, which strangely enough not a single one of you Tories has managed to respond to. You just keep going “Section 28 was ages ago” and “we have LGBT people too!”, which might just merit a Grade E in A-Level Critical Thinking, but doesn’t really cut it in the real world, where adults like to construct these things called ARGUMENTS.
“Who was it that backed an amendment in 2003 essentially bringing in section 28 through the back door as the Labour government abolished the act? David Cameron. Who attacked the Labour government for bringing in moderate reforms for LGBT people in 2000? David Cameron. Who opposed adoption rights for LGBT couples? David Cameron. Who has missed numerous key votes on LGBT issues? David Cameron. Who has formed a new Euro group with the likes of Jaroslaw Kaczy´nski (PiS leader) and Mirek Topolánek (ODS Leader), who are both viscously anti LGBT? David Cameron.”
So here’s what you have to explain: what is positive and progressive about the following things your party has done recently?
-Section 28 through the back door
- Adoption rights
-Missing votes on LGBT issues
-Entering into alliances with homophobic fascists and far-right nationalists in the European parliament
You might also want to address why David Cameron doesn’t support IVF for lesbians while you’re at it?
I look forward to your response.
Perhaps “Infantile and Disorderly” might want to question how many times “McCavity Brown” bothered to turn up to vote for the LGBT issues he professes to support. It’s not an impressive record.
Yeah, but that would be a lot more interesting question if I were actually a member or supporter of the Labour Party, or had ever voted or supported Gordon Brown. One look at this blog, however, makes it clear I haven’t.
Perhaps the Tories just can’t answer any of our questions (I say ‘perhaps’- it’s quite blatant they can’t).
Perhaps you toff idiots might want to answer some of the questions?
Under Labour there has been limited gains, gains that the Tories would undermine from day one, we have to go far beyond what Labour has legislated.
Let’s just line these fuckers up and shoot them down. Rich Scum.
Haha. Maybe not yet Citizen!
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