September 2022: Return of the prides, Europride homophobia, Brighton's new LGBTQ+ hub and more

Issue No. 29 - September 2022

Growl...it’s bear time in Brussels, Belgium

Belgium Bear Pride, Brussels, Belgium, 20-25 September

Would you like to advertise here? Contact us.

Return of the pride queens... We’re back with a vengeance

Dave, PinkUk founder writes: given 2022's summer has been exceptionally hot following on from two years of the pandemic, it’s great to see the global LGBTQ+ pride movement rally across the UK, Europe and North America and other countries.

A few recent festivals in the UK show what we mean: Belfast Pride in Northern Ireland caught our eye for its community energy and colour, London Pride for the return of its usual mega-city fun and parade scale, Brighton & Hove Pride for, its coastal coolness and ultra liberal atmosphere and Manchester Pride for its fantastic end of August holiday extravaganza. Wow, the party’s still banging on for some from what we’ve heard, as we write... Cymru Pride (in Cardiff), the major Pride in Wales, also threw a great festival and parade.

Smaller, younger, pride festivals are also blossoming, for example, Perthshire Pride in Scotland, in this first summer since the pandemic. So enormous respect to everyone involved - to the organisers of these festivals across the UK and to funders, sponsors, local authorities, emergency services, LGBTQ+ venues and, above all, to the LGBTQ+ identifying people who support these events throughout the year.

Brighton Pride Street party

These festivals should remain community events with LGBTQ+ rights and equality at their centre, so not to be drowned out by commercial, bureaucratic or other pressures.

PinkUk founder writes: Given 2022's summer has been exceptionally hot following on from two years of the pandemic, it’s great to see the LGBTQ+ pride movement rally across the UK, Europe and North America and other countries.

It shows what we can do after two years of, well, extreme lock downs, now extreme heat and inflation, venue closures, online-only options and health issues such as monkey pox. In the UK, many pride festivals, large and small, are showing what they can do.

*Stop press*: Europride 2022,
Belgrade, Serbia: organisers vow to hold Europride as planned 12—18 September in Belgrade, despite a march of anti-Pride demonstrators in the city.  Keep updated at PinkUk Europride 2022.

Best wishes from the team at PinkUk xxx
All our newsletters are archived.

Prefer to read this newsletter as a PDF? September 2022

Featured venue: The Ledward Centre, Brighton

Brighton & Hove, some say, is the ‘LGBTQ+ capital’ of the UK. The city’s now got its LGTBQ+ community and cultural hub with a café, meeting complex and exhibition space among other facilities. And, well, it looks pretty smart.

The Ledward Centre opened its doors in central Brighton earlier this year and is named in tribute to the late James Ledward, a prominent Brighton LGBTQ+ community activist and editor of G Scene, the Brighton based LGBTQ+ magazine. The centre’s mission is to promote and support Brighton and Hove’s diverse LGBTQ+ community and vibrant culture by providing a safe and accessible space in the heart of the city. 

It hosts cultural events and provides a safe social space for LGBTQ+ people. The centre says it’s got the “queerest café in town”. It serves hot and cold drinks and snacks from 10am – 6pm Mon to Sat and 10am – 4pm Sundays. Congrats to all involved in launching this much needed space.     

More info about the Ledward Centre

Featured event/pride: Oban Pride, Scotland, 10th September

Oban, in Argyll, northwest Scotland, holds its Pride festival on 10 September at The Corran Halls. It will feature a Rainbow Stage, Family Zone, Youth Zone, Stall Village. The Pride march will congregate at station Square from 11.45 on 10th September 2022 and leave Station Square at 12.30. Have fun guys!

More info about Oban Pride 2022

Prides/LGBTQ+ events

700 Pride events in 2022

Right now for 2022 we have 243 prides in the UK and 755 prides in 50 countries. For 2023 we have 20 pride events in the UK and 122 prides and events in 27 countries. Add your Pride 2022/23   

See all the prides/LGBTQ+ events we have in September

We have 3,280 LGBTQ+ venues listed in 76 countries. Add a venue to PinkUk

PinkUk features

We have regular contributors who offer opinions or advice. Please check out our latest features. This month they include one on LGBT Foundation and a ‘from top to bottom’ story from our friends at Esmale. Features

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.