Brighton this May was the scene for a ten-day long lesbian and gay festival.
Vastly expanded over the Brighton Pride events held last year, the fes tival attracted hundreds of lesbians and gay men to Brighton from all over the country, particularly for the march towards the end of the woek, which at over 2000 people, was the largest such event ever seen in Brighton.
Dani Ahrens, a member of Pink Parasol, the organising committee said, The festival was a briliant success. We achieved our aim of increas ing the visibility of lesbians and gay ride festival, seven new lesbian are Begroups have now been set up in Despite concerted attacks from the local media and the local Conservative Party, the public response was genoraly very positive.
nore was a resolan and gay crop in centre set up to run throughout the festival, providing resources and in. formation as well as giving away froe safer sex kits for lesbians A Lesbus' toured around Brighton, andthere wore many event organised specificaly for lesbians - something that many lesbian and gay events fai march, there was also a concert -"Pride in the Park' and a Pik Picnic on the bean to round off the testival Even the woather was kind!
We hope this will now become an annual event, and that next year's Pride will be bigger and better than this one. said Dani Ahrens.
Despite the enormous success of this year's Pride however, the festival has cost a lot of money. Pink Parasol are asking for donations to cover the cost of this year's Pride and to enable them to omanice a similar event next year. Please write to Pink Parasol, o/o Brighton Unemployed Centre, 6 Ti bury Place, Brighton BN2 2GY. during political message of Lesbian and Gay Pride.
The anti-racist and anti-fascist contingent being built is gaining momentum for its project of injecting a much more dynamic progressive political content into Pride. But the battle to restore Pride to tne control of the lesbian and gay to our political agenda will cononue long alter i June The Labour Campaign for Lesbian and Gay Rights will be marching with the anti-racist /anti-fascist section or Prae on zi june. Socialist Outlook supporters will be with the LCLGR contingent.