Pride in Pictures 1972: The parade hits London

Pride in Pictures 1972: The parade hits London
Marchers, banners and police at the first official gay Pride march in London, July 1, 1972. Photo: Wikimedia

Two years after America’s first parades, about 2,000 people rallied in June 1972 for London’s first official Pride parade.

Take that number and keep multiplying. You may eventually surpass the million marchers now at London Pride. You’ll eventually tally the multi-millions at Pride in São Paulo, Madrid and Toronto.

But, in 1972, London’s Pride marchers were as brave as their American counterparts, with police marching alongside them — a visible reminder of the uneasy relationship between police and LGBTQ people.

From its humble start, London Pride grew significantly in the late 1980s, as the U.K. debated Section 28, the notorious 1988 mandate against the public promotion and teaching of homosexuality. It was the wedge issue of then-prime minister Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative Party.

Yet it galvanized the gay-rights movement before Scotland repealed it in 2000, and the rest of the U.K. in 2003.

Before international flags with London Pride offficials are former United States Ambassador Matthew Barzun (white shirt) and London Mayor Sadiq Aman Khan (right of Barzun) at London Pride in June 2016. Katy Blackwood / Wikimedia

 

Don't forget to share:

Support vital LGBTQ+ journalism

Reader contributions help keep LGBTQ Nation free, so that queer people get the news they need, with stories that mainstream media often leaves out. Can you contribute today?

Cancel anytime · Proudly LGBTQ+ owned and operated

It’s time designate the NRA a domestic terrorist organization

Previous article

The Pope says God makes some people gay. Now get over it.

Next article