LETTER TO EDITOR: Where was our visibility at Eastbourne Pride Parade?

I have just come home from LGBT+ Pride in Eastbourne and felt so upset that I had to write to you.

I’VE been going to Prides for over twenty years now and although they are all different, this is the only one that has disappointed me to this extent.

The thing that I found upsetting was the route. It was 0.8 miles long, starting way to the east of the town centre, ending 1.2 miles from the pier. It went along what I thought was a dirt track by the sea, nowhere near the town, people or businesses.

As the main part of Pride for me is for our communities to come together for a day, be visible, and for the townspeople of Eastbourne to see that we are just normal people, to interact with, and respect.

I don’t think this can be achieved when you shove us out-of-town. This parade should be renamed Eastbourne shame! I am so upset, I have no vocabulary to express how I feel.

There were no floats, no sound systems and most importantly no crowds.

I hope you could look into this and maybe raise awareness that it isn’t good enough?

Once we were in the enclosed area in the park, there was a lovely atmosphere, with load of lovely people.

I went to Isle Of Wight pride last year. It was their first Pride and the parade went all around the town making lots of noise, with floats and thousands of supporters everywhere. The whole island appeared to be there!

I have come to the conclusion that Eastbourne just wanted to shove ‘the gays’ out-of-the-way. Sounds like homophobia to me.

Regards
Jaci Driscoll