World

Well last week was London Pride 07, or due to the weather it could have been mistaken for the gay Glastonbury. Despite the rain thousands lined the route of the newly branded ‘London Pride 35th Anniversary celebration’ route along Oxford Street and down Regent Street.

There we around 40 floats and many people walking with their various splinter gay group flags. Some tried to have carnival attitude to the march and other wanted to make political statements.

The press notice publicising the march stated that pride had returned to its original format and had a political undertone like the first march in 1972. Over the last decade pride had changed into the then branded ‘Gay Mardi Gras’ and was less about gay and lesbian people coming together to show solidarity and more about going to a party after the march, taking drugs and spending the entire day in one of the many dance tents with pounding drum beats ringing in your ears.

It is strange that the organisers wanted to return to the original format as in the last ten years under a Labour government many of the rights that we protested for have been achieved; civil partnerships, lower age of consent, revoking clause 28 and tougher legislation to help report and convict hate crimes and discrimination as well as support groups to help victims . Most of the public services now promote themselves as gay friendly employers and pride themselves on having gay and lesbian support networks.

Even the police who were once seen as an oppressive force now work with the gay and lesbian community groups to help better advice policy and encourage the reporting of hate crime.

So what exactly do we need a march for, let alone a whole day to celebrate being gay? Let’s think about it in real terms, you don’t get ginger people (of which I’m sure they out number gays) demanding a political rally followed by music and cabaret in Trafalgar and Leicester squares.

Don’t get me wrong I’m not a anti-gay-gay but my gay life journy has taken me through not being able to have consensual sex with another man in the privacy of my home because I was under 21(many years ago), I’ve lived through the Conservative party bringing in clause 28 and the propaganda that pointed the finger at gay’s for spreading Aids.

The young gays of today, 18 – 28yrs old, have never had to deal with these issues, in fact they have never had it so good, what political message would they possible want to communicate? Free recreational drugs and no door charge at clubs! Who knows?

As a gay man living in a major city, I am seen as an equal, no better or worse than anyone else in the street. Yes there is still ignorance and bigotry, but straight people encourage this in everyday life like all of us.

Yes we may have a long way to go until this is stamped out but as long as there are people that are insecure about them selves, jealous or practice a different religion you will always have bigotry and hatred and this will be directed at anyone, be them straight, gay, Christian, Catholic, Muslim, black, white, ginger, fat or any other physical defect that the aggressor decides is your weak spot.

Despite my views I did enjoy the sense of solidarity that London Pride 07 achieved. It was heart warming to see gay people stepping away from their daily lives to come together to make a visible statement. It was even nicer to see that despite the recent terrorist attacks, the general public doing their weekend shopping and tourist visiting our city came together and joined in our gay celebration.

To read more please go to my blog: http://poobaba-backfromthebrink.blogspot.com/

The Pink Loerie Carnival is currently the biggest gay festival held on the African continent. What started as a small party held over a weekend a couple of years ago, has now evolved into a five-day long, international, fully fledged festival.

 The Loerie (as it is affectionately known by the locals), is held in my home town of Knysna on the South-West coast of South Africa. This small town literally bursts at the seams during the festival, as hundreds upon thousands of like-minded people congregate here to throw all their cares to the wind and dance the nights and days away.

 Named after the Knysna Loerie, a beautiful bright green bird with brilliant red plumage on the underside of its wings and which is only found in the forests surrounding our town, the Pink Loerie Carnival is also extremely straight-friendly. In fact, last year's statistics showed that nearly 25 % of visitors to Knysna during that weekend were straight (yes, sometimes we take a poll).

It is a weekend where everybody gets along. People from all over the world come to our little town to shake their sugar alongside the locals. There is a multitude of shows, concerts, parties, live music and of course, don't forget the parade down Main Street with the street party afterwards!

 All in all, it's five days of carefree fun - and it starts tonight...

Be assured that I will report back next week (as soon as I have recovered from five days' worth of dancing and pinting), with pics and all. I advise you all to start making travel arrangements for next year's festival - it is an experience not to be missed. Just beware - if you've come once, you'll only want to come again (mind the double entendre there).

Check out these links, the first is the official Pink Loerie website and the second will give you more of an idea of the beautiful place that is Knysna.

http://www.pinkloerie.com/

Abercrombie and Fitch has opened in Saville Row! This is the brands first store outside of North America and I have a feeling it is going to go down well.

x VS x : what do you /blogazine/47/world/abercrombie_320.htmthink?