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I went on my first ever Pride march this year. I've always been working, or out of London, although I did get to go along to the festival in the evening two years ago after work. So this was, in fact, the first real opportunity I had to go on the march. At one point I wasn't sure if I was going to go. My boyfriend Mike had to work, and I didn't really want to go on my own.
On Friday evening I went for a drink with my ex Chris and his boyfriend Paul, and after much discussion about the merits of marching on the outskirts of the West End, we hatched a plan. Paul and I would go along, and meet Chris later on.
I went over to Kingston to see some friends later on that night, and eventually got home at 4am, booked an alarm call for 7am, and collapsed by the phone.
Saturday morning came, and Mike woke me at 7 to ask me if I'd booked an alarm call. I mumbled something incomprehensible and fell asleep again. At about 9:30 I finally woke up, noticed the time, realised it was too late to go to the launderette and would therefore have nothing to wear, stood up, noticed that I had the mother of all hangovers... So far, the morning was NOT going well. Paul phoned to double-check that I was still coming along, and I didn't even recognise his voice. Mike, meanwhile, thought it highly amusing to watch me panic about clothes when I was barely functioning. Trying to find something clean to wear wasn't easy, but eventually I managed it.
Eventually I got the tube to Marble Arch. I was surprised to hear announcements about the parade, and which station exit we should take to get to Hyde Park. I must praise London Transport for that. Even such little things as this go a long way towards our acceptance by society as a whole.
I managed to meet Paul, which was lucky, because the Virgin Megastore we'd planned to meet outside was no longer there. We decided not to join the parade at its start in Hyde Park, but to go down to the top of Park Lane and watch part of it before joining in. I'm glad we did that - it feels as empowering to watch other people taking part in these events as it is to take part yourself.
I can't say anything in detail about the parade. I was amazed by the sight of thousands and thousands of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgendered people, and the assorted children, dogs and straight friends who were there with us. When we were halfway down Piccadilly near the Ritz, you could look ahead and see the road just full of us all the way up to Piccadilly Circus, and turn around and see the same sight stretching back to Hyde Park Corner. And tourists on the open top buses were waving, cheering and taking photos. Trying to remember specific things and people is impossible - the entire event was just so overwhelming.
If you ever get a chance to go along to Pride, anywhere in the world, make sure you do. You'll never forget the experience. And as Charlie from Leicester said in 'the Observer' newspaper the following day, "It's the one day of the year that we are in the majority. I think that's a political statement in itself.".
Ian Blake is the current editor of the Village Times. You're most welcome to direct emails to him if you like. Starting next month we'll have a Letters to the Editor column, where you can comment on the editorial and whatnot. Until then, follow the email address attached to his name and put Letter to the Editor on your email in the header...
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