Brighton Pride

The Stroppy One and moi went to Brighton Pride yesterday. We watched the floats go by and with this years theme being, "Carry On".. there were a lots of busty Barbara Windsors (including the Real One on the Terrence Higgins Trust float) and people dressed in various guises from Carry On films (I was rather disappointed there were no Charles Hawtrey or Fenella Fielding lookalikes!) . I heard one bloke explaining to a group of people why he thought Carry on Screaming was high camp and the best of the bunch (and I couldn't help but turn around uttering the famous words from Kenneth Williams: "Frying tonight"!). I agree, Carry On Screaming is my favourite as well.

Organisations who were on the demo included: Amicus, GMB, RMT, Unison, Brighton Labour Party, Terrence Higgins, Green Party, FBU, mental health charity MIND and a variety of other groups representing on a local or a national scale.

We followed the demo after we watched the floats go past and London Road was taken over by the demonstrators. People cheering and clapping, the atmophere was extremly vibrant and upbeat. I remember going on one the first Pride demos in Brighton in the early 90s and it much more of a protest demo with people chanting slogans (the vile homophobic Section 28 was still fresh in minds) and there weren't as many demonstrators then. I remember spotting the po-faced angry homophobes from the sidelines as we marched past.

Some people argue that Pride has lost its meaning and has become commercialised (like the London one) and the politics have been lost. I don't know if that's the case as it still attracts thousands of people and the sponsors include some (not all, mind you!) of the trade unions.

The stalls were at Preston Park and it was utterly packed. There were zillions of stalls to browse. In keeping with tradition, I perused the trade union stalls (noticed my own union, T&G missing.....) and had look at the Labour Campaign for Lesbian and Gay Rights (LCLGR).

There were masses of women milling around (go ladies, go!) stalls such as Sh (sex shop for women based in Shoreditch in London) and Tickled (Brighton based sex shop), which were selling sex toys to strap-ons dildos. I liked the leather stall but didn't too much of a chance to check it out as it was thronging with people...

The Stroppy One, bless her fishnet stockings, bought me a Dr Who wallet with a scary Dalek on the front (and I bought her a bottle of Jack Daniels ....! Can I have a bottle of Russian vodka next time... please?!) and she bought herself a kinky leather style cap with a chain (you know, similar to the one Marlon Brando wears in the "Wild One"..). I also bought myself a pink cowgirl hat though was disappointed they didn't sell holsters or guns... kinda like that image!

I gonna wear the hat to the Communist University sans holster with gun..