Pride in London aims to increase Festival diversity as Stonewall quits parade and extends support for UK Black Pride
Stonewall has decided not to join this year's Pride in London parade, saying it has concerns over the event's "lack of diversity". The decision seems to have backfired as many black and minority ethnic people have been showing their annoyance online.
The decision comes after an allegedly incorrect report from Pride's Commmunity Advisory Board (CAB) last year which organisers have rejected stating it was "inaccurate in many places which is disrespectful to the many volunteers that work hard to deliver the event".
The charity said it will instead switch to extend support to UK Black Pride, an event for LGBT+ people from ethnic minorities which also takes place every year in the capital on the same weekend at Pride in London.
Pride is an annual parade through the UK's capital city celebrating LGBT+ rights and protesting for equality in law and wider society. Last year it attracted more than 200 groups and 26,000 people with an estimated one million visitors. This year's parade is due to take place on Saturday July 7.
While Stonewall is a national charity with paid staff who attend more than 30 Prides around the country, Pride in London is run and lead by volunteers. One of the key differences between Pride in London and most of the bigger prides around the UK is that it is free to attend. To attend Manchester, Birmingham or Brighton Pride (where Britney Spears is headlining), tickets are required for a sizable part of the celebrations. In comparison, London's Pride parade is free to attend along with their various staging areas including the recent addition of a Women's Stage in Leicester Square.
Pride in London has recently recruited new members to it's board of directors including Christopher Joell-Deshields, Director of Community Engagement; Alex Talcer, Director of Fundraising; Colin Campbell-Austin, Director of Volunteering and Asad Dhunna Director of Communications.
They join Co-chairs Alison Camps and Michael Salter-Church MBE; David Bloomfield, Director of Finance; Iain Walters, Director of Marketing; Polly Shute, Director of Development & Strategic Partnerships and Siobhan Linard, Director of Operations.
The make-up of the board is now:
4 women
3 people of colour
3 white men
The decision by Stonewall has divided London's LGBT+ community with some campaigners suggesting there may have been more to Stonewall's decision than what might first appear. Many online have argued about the motive behind the withdrawal - whether that be from not being given an adequate number of wristbands for the often over-subscribed parade, to not having a 'thing to campaign for anymore'. Some have expressed that this was not the right decision for Stonewall and instead they should work with Pride in London and UK Black Pride to increase visibility and diversity at all pride events.