Gay in the UK video blog (Ep. 21): London Pride

I posted this elsewhere, but I thought maybe it would find a more appreciative audience here. 

The Twelve Things I Learned in London and at Gay Pride 2009:

12. It was hot enough for me.

11. The Ruby in the Dust production of Dorian Gray is spiffing, lads! (And Matthew James Thomas is perfection in the lead.)

10. Sacha Baron Cohen is a marketing, sigh, genius.

9. The Cow is King! (Udders will follow.)

8. There's always next year, Andy.

7. Gay icons ain't what they used to be (see UK Videoblog above).

6. Pride Day comes but once a year.

5. Titiyo's "Stumble to Fall" is being sampled for a Skype Commercial.

4. Like Kleenex for tissues, Speedo is now generic for swim trunks.

3. Ken Loach does quirky right (see Gerard Kearns in Looking for Eric).

2. You can eat well in London (even on Old Compton Street)!

1.  Michael Jackson is still dead.

"The mountain has wings."

I know you had had a couple of drinks, but to award your white wino to politicians is more than a little bit daft. We have it really good over here. We have all the major and minor parties realising we exist and (with the exception of the BNP and Christian Party) actively coming to solicit our votes.

Labour is citing its record of bringing in gay rights and is promising even more. The Lib Dems are promising even more far-ranging legislation. The Tories have apologised for Section 28 and say they're more gay friendly, but they've promised no equality legislation (and actively opposed things like gay adoption and IVF for lesbians) and have joined forces with the most homophobic parties in Europe (so there is an element of truth in the accusations of homophobia).

Pride was originally a political protest. It was a very dour affair with people trudging through the London streets having abuse hurled at them, being threatened with violence and losing their jobs for being gay. I'm all for the party and celebration - and it's incredible how big and popular it's become - but we still need the political element because we still don't have equality. And increasingly big-gun politicians come to us and are prepared to make deals to get our votes. There are people around the world who'd have wet dreams about political figures fighting to be associated with Pride like we do.  

for making it this far, may there be many many more episodes!

Tim, the Gay Seven Deadly Sins Festivals sounds like a great idea to me. Now if you and Ryan could just get around to organizing them you'd have one more thing you could add to your CVs ;)

Thankyou for your well wishings.

Oh Darrien, much as I enjoy your comments - give us a break with this one!!!

It was meant to be a silly winos - the Sun! Us! It was just a nod to having fun instead of being too political in that moment - we are usually quite savvy with who's done what, and if you'd seen the papers that day, it was full of gay political bickering.

I will actually be bringing up (in ep22) how disappointed I was that the politicians who did turn up to Pride got booed, for no good reason - so rest assured, balance will be restored.

Gay Gluttony rules (but I really don't have time to organise a festival and my CV is already far to confusing for employers to know what I actually do!)

Tim

It was a packed event  - Good turn out - when it started to drizzle I was worried it was going to be a wash-out but the sun poured down instead! Thank god!

We may have been a bit critical of the MPs but I think we'd had enough of Labour having a go at the Conservatives. We know their history, but if we continue to judge people on the past what hope have we of achieving equality, tolerance and acceptance?

If the Conservatives are making this effort to change within, then we should help them rather than continually batter them. After all, it was Labour who brought about change to help criminals get back into the system and right their wrongs. If they can do that to others who have harmed society - why can they not accept that the Conservatives are trying to re-establish themselves?

Tim and I should def do a 7 deadly sins show.

Our next programme we hope will come from our new studio with more interviews and locations...Keep spreading the word!

Gay In The UK

http://www.fyiradio.net

it is bizarre watching this because while that was going on me and my mates were up on the balcony type bit doing some dancing! (small world!)