Thousands turned out today for Pride in Glasgow, despite the weather best being described as “pissing on the parade.”

Pride seems to get bigger ever year – despite the constant chatter that we’re all equal and everything’s basically fine now, apparently. Speaking of the not fine things, there were, as is now customary, a huge range of corporations and other assorted bastards punting their wares on today’s march. I get the idea of going to Pride with people you work with but the need for half the march to look like a walking advert for Asda or Costa is less obvious.

#weloveyourupert

Costa FTW

Whether the Whistlin Kirk had gone to a special effort for the day remains unclear…

Aside from the corporate pinkwash, there were a huge range of trade unions, campaigners and activists but the overwhelming majority of people on the march were just there with their friends and families and of course, their dugs, to walk in the pissing rain and be visible, loud and proud.  There are few marches of any kind where that’s the case.

The march set off from Glasgow Green, fronted by Sheboom and the Time for Inclusive Education (TIE) campaign.

As is also customary, there were a few token roasters down to shout nonsense.  They were met with a suitable response.

What Jesus would think of all this, well….

Thankfully for us more vocal types, there was also the Free Pride bloc who brought a much needed radical edge to proceedings.

With the Council still refusing to provide funding for the event, Pride Glasgow‘s main event headlined by…Toploader, will set you back 15 quid for a weekend ticket, so having Free Pride as an alternative (and obviously, free) event has been a positive development for people who want a space without feeling like they’re in an advert for their work on their day off.

Marching to Free Pride

As the march meandered through town to chants of “we’re here, we’re queer, we’re also fucking soaked”, the scale of the whole event became a bit overwhelming, especially thinking back to just what a small event I remember Pride being when I first attended.

The fact the ranks seem to swell year on year might be written off as proof that equality is here but with no legal recognition of non-binary and intersex people and a gender recognition system which is fundamentally broken, it’s hard to suggest we’re very near even basic legal equality. For many, Pride is about much more than the law, it’s a chance to demonstrate for liberation and dignity together with the communities we love.  While I’d far rather do that without the entire global banking system hanging their banners over me, the chance to get drenched with my LGBTQI+ siblings on a rainy Glasgow Saturday will always be too good to miss.

It’s CHRISTMAS!!!

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Further reading:

Glasgow marches with Pride

From Glasgow to Orlando: Solidarity Matters

The Battle to Free Pride

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