Author: Besi

Cllr Chaun Wilson, Labour’s equalities spokesperson spoke passionately tonight (Thursday, February 27) in support of the Labour and Conservative budget ammendment to reinstate the annual grant to Brighton Pride by primarily drawing upon allocated funds from the council’s one off reserves.

Chaun said: “In recent weeks the news has been full of stories relating to laws passed in Russia and Uganda which seek to remove human rights from LGBT citizens.

“Countries which are not alone in turning a blind eye to the most horrendous brutality and suffering of LGBT people and believe it right to imprison inflict violence and humiliation on people for the simple act of falling in love.

“As we express our shock and disgust at their actions it is easy to forget our own track record in the UK on LGBT rights and the long fight members of the community have faced to get us where we are today.

“Brighton and Hove, home to a fantastic Pride event is an amazingly diverse and vibrant place to be, accepting people for who they are and not forcing people to conform to one set of ideals. And though homophobia, bi-phobia and transphobia still exist here, there is limited tolerance shown for such behaviour.

“This is why, I like many LGBT friends chose to come and live in Brighton and Hove because it stands out in the UK as a fair and tolerant city with a rich and diverse community spirit.

“But you know in some respects Brighton and Hove can act as a kind of bubble because outside the city it’s often difficult to avoid extreme homophobia and prejudice.

“Having lived outside Brighton and Hove for many years I have personal experience of severe homophobia and frequently encountered this at an institutional level in education, housing, law and health systems, whilst my family including two children were regularly subjected to verbal and physical abuse and even being forced to move house for our own safety on one occasion.

“Pride is for many, a symbolic event, which reminds us that we cannot take our freedom to live openly as LGBT people for granted whilst serving as a legacy for those who have suffered to bring us equality and acting as a huge beacon of hope to LGBT communities across the international landscape still fighting for their rights.

“Pride provides us with a benchmark for equality, enabling us to celebrate diversity and promote acceptance whilst bringing huge economic benefits to the city and garnering respect amongst those who support equality.

“Brighton and Hove is I believe the home of the best Pride event in the UK and feel the potential loss of Pride for want of our support would be a real travesty. I hope therefore that members from all parties will agree with us that £25k is a small price to pay for such a valuable asset and will support the amendments before them.”

Caroline Lucas MP for Brighton Pavilion explains why Pride is important to her.

“One of the best things about being MP for Brighton Pavilion is representing one of the most politically active, committed and determined, LGBTI communities in the world. I never feel that more strongly than when I’m at Pride.

“We stood up for equal marriage rights, and we won, and I’m incredibly proud of the work everyone did that made it happen. Pride Matters because we should celebrate that kind of progress, and never forget how far we’ve come.

“But Pride is also about understanding how far we’ve got to go – there are still huge battles to be fought.

“Pride is about letting the gay teenager know that the abuse he faces isn¹t ok. It¹s about taking a stand against transphobia in the media.

“It’s about fighting the unfairness of trans people being forced to annul their marriages.

“It’s about tackling the stgima that surrounds HIV. It’s about standing up against homophobia in football grounds.

“It’s about fighting deeply oppressive laws overseas and giving asylum to people fleeing them.

“Pride is about coming together to tell the world that we’re never going to give up until we’ve won all those fights.”

Geoffrey Bowden a former Pride trustee and Green Councillor for the Gay Village urged caution at tonights council budget debate over giving Pride a grant for £25,000 to secure the future of this years Pride Community Parade.

Despite having not seen last years Pride accounts Cllr Bowden suggested that the Pride organisation was sustainable and not in need of the money.

In his speech he referred to Pride as being a ‘commercial organisation’ despite it being a Community Interest Company (CIC) where all profits are ploughed back into the community and  suggested any grant from the council should be spent on security for the Gay Village Steet Party which takes place in his ward.

Cllr Bowden was a trustee of Pride South East Ltd which for successive years lost money and was eventually forced to crease trading with debts of over £200,000. During his period as a trustee no money was raised for LGBT voluntary sector organisations in the city.

Last years Pride organisers raised £43,000 for good causes. This money was not paid from ‘profits’ but came from £1 a head ring fenced from each ticket sold and was a fixed cost in the Pride budget.

Both Labour and Cooperative and Conservative Councillors spoke in support of the reinstatement of the £25,000 grant to Pride.

The Debate is ongoing.