As the largest pride parade in the country, pride in London is always a spectacular event. However, this year’s parade was particularly huge, celebrating fifty years since the first pride march in the UK. LGBT+ people from all walks of life representing over 600 organisations such as local councils, charities, finance and management firms, religious groups, unions, sports clubs, and NHS Trusts, marched through the streets of central London. This year’s London Pride took the same route as the first-ever pride in 1972.
Over one million people dressed in rainbow colours and draped in matching flags lined the parade route and filled the roads and pavements, celebrating, cheering, and beaming with pride. As the six-hour parade drew to a close, the main stage in Trafalgar Square welcomed singers, speakers, and drag performers.
#AllOurPride
At such a colourful, happy, and welcoming event, it’s easy to forget that the pride movement started as a protest. Although globally and nationally we’ve come a long way over the last fifty years and beyond, there’s still a long way to go. This year, the pride in London theme was #AllOurPride, uniting the past, present, and future. The organisation calls for a march towards progress, calling on the UK government to ban conversion therapy, reform the Gender Recognition Act, provide equal protection for LGBT+ communities against hate crimes, end its hostile environment toward minority migrants, and establish a national AIDS memorial.
As well as being a festive and joyous event, it was overwhelming to be surrounded by so many people just like myself. I may have shed a tear or two due to feeling so supported. If you identify as a member of the LGBT+ community, I’d highly encourage you to join a pride event near you with your friends and loved ones.
Pride in London is over until next year, but keep up to date with the latest news or find an upcoming pride event elsewhere.
Join the PDA LGBT+ Network at Manchester Pride
The PDA LGBT+ Network will have a presence at Manchester Pride this year and has secured a walking entry in the parade on Saturday 27 August. The theme for 2022’s parade is March for Peace, with the importance of peace in a world where all LGBT+ people are free to live and love without prejudice at its heart.
Scott Rutherford, President of the PDA LGBT+ Network said, “We are excited to be able to represent the pharmacy profession at Manchester Pride. This is our first in-person event, and we want to invite members to attend, network, and celebrate being LGBT+!”
Please complete this short survey if you are planning on joining the PDA LGBT+ Network in the parade. Further details will be sent closer to the event with the meeting location and time.
The PDA LGBT+ Network looks forward to seeing you there!
By Eva Martin (they/them), PDA LGBT+ Network member and second-year pharmacy student
Get involved
- Attend Manchester Pride
- Join the PDA LGBT+ network here
- Follow the PDA LGBT+ Network on social media using the hashtag #PDAlgbt
- Contact the PDA LGBT+ Network committee by emailing lgbt@the-pda.org
- Join the PDA LGBT+ Network WhatsApp group here
- Join the PDA LGBT+ Network Facebook group here
Learn more
Not yet a PDA member?
If you have not yet joined the PDA, we encourage you to join today and ask your colleagues to do the same.
Membership is FREE to pharmacy students, trainee pharmacists, and for the first three months of being newly qualified.
Read about our key member benefits here.