Pride: Then and Now — A Brighton-Centric Journey

From the riot-scarred streets of New York City in 1969 to the rainbow-painted roads of Brighton today, Pride has evolved from a radical demand for equality to a vibrant celebration of identity, resilience, and community.

Yet, its heart remains the same: a defiant declaration that LGBTQ+ lives matter. Brighton — often dubbed the “unofficial LGBTQ+ capital of the UK” — holds a particularly colourful and compelling role in the story of Pride.

The Origins: Stonewall and the Spark of Pride

The modern Pride movement traces its roots to the Stonewall Riots in June 1969. When police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York’s Greenwich Village, LGBTQ+ patrons fought back. The clashes lasted several nights and sparked a wider movement for gay rights.

One of the most famous figures from this uprising was Marsha P. Johnson, a Black trans woman and drag queen. She famously said, “No pride for some of us without liberation for all of us.”

That spirit of inclusivity and resistance has been carried across decades and oceans, directly influencing Pride celebrations around the world — including in Brighton.

The first UK Pride march took place in London in 1972, attended by around 2,000 people. Over the decades, cities across the UK followed suit — and Brighton emerged as a natural home for one of the most iconic and inclusive celebrations.

Pride Comes to Brighton

Brighton’s first Pride event took place in 1973, but it was low-key and politically charged, reflecting the struggles LGBTQ+ people faced at the time. It wasn’t until the early 1990s, however, that Pride in Brighton began to grow into the large-scale event it is today.

The 1991 event, themed “Pride Not Prejudice”, was held in response to the growing visibility of homophobic attitudes and the ongoing impact of the HIV/AIDS crisis. Local campaigners like Paul Elgood and Simon Fanshawe, both prominent in LGBTQ+ activism, helped steer Brighton Pride towards a more public, celebratory tone — without losing sight of its roots in protest.

Since then, Brighton Pride has evolved into a weekend-long extravaganza attracting over 300,000 people annually. It’s been called “the biggest Pride festival in the UK” and brings an estimated £20 million into the local economy. Yet, it remains distinctly Brightonian — proudly political, grassroots at heart, and radically inclusive.

Symbols and Significance: The Rainbow Flag and Beyond

The rainbow flag, designed by Gilbert Baker in 1978, is a universal symbol of Pride, with each colour representing a different aspect of LGBTQ+ identity (red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, and so on). In Brighton, it’s not uncommon to see entire streets, buses, and even council buildings adorned with the flag in the weeks leading up to Pride.

In 2019, Brighton became one of the first UK cities to paint its pedestrian crossings in rainbow colours, a powerful act of visibility. One of these crossings sits at the heart of the city’s Kemptown district — historically a hub for the LGBTQ+ community, home to bars, bookstores, and cultural spaces like the Marlborough Theatre.

Pride as Protest: The Political Core

While Pride may today look like a glitter-soaked carnival, its roots in protest are never far beneath the surface. Brighton Pride has consistently used its platform to highlight key issues: trans rights, LGBTQ+ asylum seekers, hate crime, and the impact of austerity on queer youth services.

As Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, co-founder of UK Black Pride, has said: “Pride started as a riot — and it must remain a protest for those of us still fighting to be seen and heard.”

Brighton activists have taken this to heart. In 2017, a contingent of local LGBTQ+ migrants staged a die-in at the Pride parade to protest the UK’s treatment of LGBTQ+ asylum seekers. Their banners read: “No Pride in Detention” — a stark reminder that not all in the community are equally free.

Commercialisation and Controversy

With its growth, Brighton Pride has faced criticism — especially over corporate sponsorship and rising ticket prices. Some argue that the festival has drifted too far from its activist roots. In 2022, headliner Christina Aguilera drew huge crowds to Preston Park, but the event’s costs and accessibility were questioned by grassroots groups.

Local organisers have attempted to balance these concerns by reinvesting profits from ticketed events into community grants. The Rainbow Fund, for instance, receives tens of thousands of pounds annually from Pride revenue, which it distributes to LGBTQ+ charities like MindOut (a mental health service for LGBTQ+ people in Brighton).

Nevertheless, some locals feel priced out. As one Brighton resident told The Argus: “It’s hard to feel included in a Pride that costs £60 to enter when the people it’s supposed to serve are struggling to pay rent.”

The Role of Art and Culture

Pride in Brighton is more than just a march. The city’s thriving LGBTQ+ art scene plays a central role. Events like Queer the Pier at the Brighton Museum, or poetry slams at venues like The Spire and The Marlborough, blend art with activism.

Local drag performers like Alfie Ordinary and Boogaloo Stu use their platforms to challenge gender norms, while inclusive spaces like The Ledward Centre (named after the late LGBTQ+ campaigner James Ledward) offer year-round support and community engagement.

Brighton’s Pride Arts and Film Festival has also grown, showcasing queer stories from around the world. As writer and Brighton local Neil Bartlett once said: “Queer lives aren’t just political — they’re poetic, joyful, and worth celebrating in all their messy glory.”

Pride Now: Intersectionality, Inclusivity, and the Future

Today’s Pride movement, particularly in Brighton, is increasingly intersectional. Organisers are amplifying voices from across the LGBTQ+ spectrum, including trans people, queer people of colour, disabled activists, and non-binary individuals.

Groups like Trans Pride Brighton, which began in 2013, have become major fixtures. In 2023, over 20,000 people attended Trans Pride, making it the largest trans-led Pride event in Europe. This growth reflects an ongoing commitment to visibility and solidarity — especially amid rising transphobia in media and politics.

In a 2023 speech at Trans Pride, activist and author Juno Dawson declared: “Brighton doesn’t just accept us — it uplifts us. That’s what Pride should be.”

Conclusion: Brighton and the Beating Heart of Pride

Brighton’s unique blend of activism, creativity, and community makes it a natural home for Pride. While it continues to evolve — navigating the tensions between protest and party, inclusion and commercialism — the soul of the movement remains intact.

Pride in Brighton is more than a parade; it’s a living, breathing embodiment of resilience and joy, rooted in local activism and global solidarity. It remembers the riots and celebrates the love. It uplifts the marginalised while demanding justice. And it continues to ask all of us — whether we’re waving flags or marching in protest — to be proud, be loud, and never stop pushing for progress.

Photography courtesy of Luis Sanchez