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CELEBRATION: UK Black Pride founder Phyll Opoku-Gyimah (second from right) with activists at Pride In London

THE MARGINALISATION of BAME people within the LGBTQI+ community is something, which often goes unnoticed.

In order to celebrate the diversity within this community, UK Black Pride will take place in Vauxhall Sunday 8 July and aims to ensure that the event is inclusive and embraces all sections of the UK’s culturally diverse black LGBTQI+ community.

HISTORY

UK Black Pride launched in 2006, inspired by an event which took place in August 2005, where hundreds of lesbian and bisexual women gathered in Southend-on-Sea to celebrate their long and proud journey that has grown in size, stature and inclusivity.

The concept eventually evolved for an annual UK Black Pride where black LGBT men, women and trans people, could foster a sense of pride in our identities.

This enthusiasm from the patrons and sponsors who supported the launch of UK Black Pride on 18 August 2006 ensured the event was etched into LGBT history as the leading celebration of African, Asian, Caribbean, Middle Eastern and Latin American LGBT people from Britain, Europe and internationally.

It also set the foundations to ensure that UK Black Pride becomes a permanent feature on the annual calendar of Pride activities.

In an interview with Gay Times, Lady Phyll - co-founder, trustee and executive director of UK Black Pride – explained why UK Black Pride is so important to the community and how white people can be better allies.

“Until we all have the same rights, until we all do not face any form of injustice, until we all have proper access to housing, to health, to school, to education, then there will always be a need for Black Pride,” she said.

“In an ideal world, we wouldn’t need [any Prides] would we? We wouldn’t have to deal with championing or fighting for rights, for LGBTQ people, but we don’t live in an ideal world because there’s homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, but there’s also racism. Black Pride was set up [not only to celebrate POC], and have pride of place, but to also combat systemic racism.”

DETAILS

UK Black Pride takes place July 8, 2018
12-8 PM
Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, London
SE11 5HL

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