800+ Prides! CSD Munchen, LGBT persecution, GayStPete Florida, St Austell Pride

Issue No. 37 - May 2023

CSD Munchen 2023 Munich, Bavaria, Germany; 10 - 25 June

It’s May, which means it’s high spring in the UK, North America, Europe and the northern parts of the world. It also means we’re heading into the Pride festival season for the next few months. Hurray!

For those of you who like to travel, there are loads of attractive LGBTQ+ friendly destinations across Europe, Asia and the Americas. Please check out our listings pages.

But while we celebrate our rights in most of the West, we also need to be aware of legal attacks on LGBTQ+ rights around the world more generally.

In many cases, these are our friends and partners who are being persecuted: so, whether that’s banning LGBTQ+ books in parts of the United States or discriminatory or cultural attacks against our communities in Asia or Africa. For example, the African country Uganda has passed a new law that discriminates against people who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ communities.

According to the BBC’s report, you will receive a life prison sentence for saying you're ‘gay’ in that country. Let’s make this point totally: there will be no place for prejudice against our folk who live in these countries.

PinkUk stands by LGBTQ+ people who live in these countries - and please look out for them. You can help online such by visiting the UK-based Peter Tatchell Foundation and campaign group Human Rights Watch.

This is why May17.org is so important; it is also known as ‘IDAHOBIT’ – the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia – so it’s the world’s day to commemorate discrimination and violence against lesbians, gays, bisexuals, trans, queers and others.

The organisers chose 17 May annually to commemorate these issues, as this date was when the World Health Organization finally declassified homosexuality as a ‘mental disorder’, back in 1990.

On a bright note, exactly this month last year, we said we listed 861 Pride festivals. This year at the same date of the year we now list almost 900 Prides/festivals, so we are growing rapidly every month. We’re also looking at how we present this newsletter, so we’ll keep you posted.

In the UK, we’re also lucky to have an extra public holiday on Monday 8^th May after His Majesty King Charles’ coronation on Saturday 6^th. So we at PinkUk Towers we’ll be hitting the town, too, we reckon.

Finally, we offer a quite emotive article from Dave, the founder of PinkUk, who offers a tribute to his mum. She sadly passed away in February; yep, it’s gay men and their mums. Check it out.

Pinkest Spring wishes from the team at PinkUk xxx

Tribute to PinkUk founder’s mum We offer an emotive article from Dave, founder of PinkUk, who pays tribute to his ‘martial arts mum’ who sadly passed away in February; yep, it’s gay men and their mothers. Tribute to my mum, Worth a read

Featured venue: GayStPete House, St Petersburg, Florida, USA

GayStPete House says its goal is to create an “old Key West” tropical island feel: “laid back, quirky and friendly”. 

The management explain this is a relaxing, ‘clothing optional’ place to stay, where you can make new friends, or just work on your tan. Their central location allows you to explore the beaches, museums, and neighbourhoods which make up the greater St Petersburg area. The LGBT+ friendly Grand Central District is just minutes away. Well, we can’t complain at that; let’s put this in the holiday diary, babes!!

More info about GayStPete House

Would you like to see your venue here? Add your premium venue.

Featured event/pride: St Austell Pride, Cornwall, UK

St Austell Pride, Cornwall, UK, takes place on Saturday 27 May 2023.
 
St Austell Pride in Cornwall, southwest England, is a one-day celebration across the county of Cornwall on Saturday 27 May. It rejoices in equality and diversity from around the county’s LGBTQ+ and marginalised communities. The organisers say the event shines a beacon in Cornwall and the southwest of England, shouting out that “You have the right to Love who You want to Love and Be who You want to be without hate or any discrimination.”  PinkUk says yes to that!

More info about St Austell Pride 2023

Prides/LGBTQ+ events

So far, for this new year, we have 239 pride festivals listed in the UK and 861 LGBTQ+ prides events in 51 countries worldwide for 2023. For 2024 we have 3 prides in the UK and 20 in 11 other countries. Keep us posted if you have a pride festival or event that needs promoting.

See all the prides/LGBTQ+ events we have in May, Add an LGBTQ+ event to PinkUK

We have 3,340 LGBTQ+ venues listed in 76 countries. Add a venue to PinkUk

Scene, recently relaunched with its fabulous new print copy. We are proud to support them.  See their latest edition. 
Scene is the top UK, free to read, online, LGBTQ+ magazine.