Interesting small Prides, Coming Out, 1973 Brighton Pride history, Taiwan Pride

Issue No. 41 - September 2023

Formosa Pride 2023, Taipei, Taiwan, 20th - 30th October 2023

Welcome to September from PinkUk’s team and hopefully some cooler temperatures for those who have been experiencing extreme heat, severe storms or worse.

Here in the UK it has, thankfully, been cooler than most of Europe. In August as usual we had two big Pride Festivals which went with a fun bang – Brighton & Hove Pride and Manchester Pride. Congratulations to everyone involved.

This month we thought we would feature some niche Prides from our listings to show what else is happening. For those who like ghosts, and you happen to be in Kentucky, USA, the town of Pikeville, has its Paranormal Pride 2023 on 30 September – an early Halloween treat! If we were your side of the pond, we’d be there.

On 16 September we have Trans Pride Northern Ireland – it looks a really fun, event and shows how attitudes are changing in Northern Ireland, a part of the UK which has a record of homophobia and transphobia in its political history. . There’s also loads of mainstream Prides happening across this autumn/fall on our pride listings pages.

On a sad note, we send our condolences to our LGBTQ+ friends in California, USA, with the terrible news of the shooting of a straight Californian woman who displayed a rainbow flag in her shop window and who was gunned down by a homophobic extremist. In the UK, there’s also been a homophobic attack: a stabbing of two gay men outside the well-loved Two Brewers bar in Clapham in south London.

This month also marks the 25th anniversary since PinkUk’s founder Dave came out as a gay man. "I could not come out, due to being a member of the British Special Forces, and at the time it was still illegal to be gay in the British army. Fighting inside myself about my sexuality for years. I was in an incident, where it is impossible to survive. Only two ways this would end, both meant certain death.  I gave myself 24 hours to choose how to die." You can read about the incident.

Have a great September and enjoy the last days of summer!

Love and Pink Respect Team at PinkUk xxx

Pride in Brighton and Hove - how it was then

In the 50th anniversary year of Brighton & Hove’s first Pride, PinkUk Editor Simon Williams delves into the past to understand the roots of the early Pride movement in Brighton and the UK and how LGBTQ+ activism, social change and politics nurtured the movement in the 1970s and '80s to shape what it is today. This article is a longer read, so get your cup of coffee. Read more about Brighton pride's history >>

Looking across the pond at what’s happening in the USA on LGBTQ+ equalities

The US Supreme Court recently ruled in favour of a Christian web designer that potentially enables lawful discrimination against same–sex couples who wish to marry.  We point out that at least Americans have constitutional rights, whereas we in the UK do not. Read more about the pride history >>

Featured venue: Doonbank Bothy, Ayr, Scotland

The Doonbank Cottage Bothy offers LGBTQ+ friendly and pet friendly self-catering accommodation. Whether you're looking for a one night business stopover, a couple of nights to attend a wedding at the Brig O'Doon, a romantic getaway or a one or two-week self-catering holiday break. Their bothy offers an exclusive, flexible and private accommodation base for you. The bothy is a spacious and modern one bedroomed house with ample private parking, and its own private outside space set within 4.5 acres of accessible woodland garden and river walks, which form part of Doonbank Cottage.

More info about, The Doonbank Cottage Bothy

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

Featured event/pride: Preston Pride, Preston, England

Preston Pride, in Lancashire, takes place on Saturday the 23rd August 2023.
Preston Pride is a free event and this year's Pride will be taking place on the Flag Market, with many of performances and music, stalls and food, and lots of friendly
faces! This will also be Preston Pride's first pride parade. Pride takes place from Saturday the 23rd September 2023 at the Preston Flag Market in Preston, Lancashire, England, UK.

More info about Preston Pride 2023

Prides/LGBTQ+ events

So far, for this new year, we have 308 pride festivals listed in the UK and 1,051 LGBTQ+ prides events in 55 countries worldwide for 2023. For 2024 we have 30 prides in the UK and 118 in 22 other countries. Keep us posted if you have or know of a pride festival or event that needs promoting.

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

We have 3,328 LGBTQ+ venues listed in 77 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.