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Elizabeth

Pride

Updated: Aug 23


A photo of Elizabeth

Pride month has just finished and I’ve been reflecting on the historic Pride parade here in Maidstone.


On Saturday 22nd June Maidstone had its first Pride.  It was a fantastic day for the town, made more remarkable when I found out that the parade had been organised by a very small group of volunteers.  The love and joy that radiated from the parade and those who came out to watch was incredible.  Colour, music, fun, happiness – it’s a heady cocktail and exactly what the town needed. 


People who would never cross paths found themselves in the same place.  I was in a local café bar, and in one corner there were bikers, in the other a family group from the Pride parade.




Hazlitt Pride Cabaret Ad


I was so proud that our daughter took part in the parade with her friends from the local theatre.  This same group of young people staged the town’s first ever Pride cabaret that evening alongside an amazing drag act and singers from Square Peg Arts.


I come from Belfast, and I have friends who have been attacked because they are part of the LGBTQIA+ community.  Belfast was, and still is in some ways, a conservative society and I remember crossing picket lines of religious preachers just because I wanted to go to a pub where members of the LGBTQIA+ community were welcome.  As an ally, I have witnessed the abuse hurled at that community.




Pride flag with Pride nails


It took my hometown a long time to accept a Pride parade, and it is now a huge event with people coming from all over to watch.  It’s my hope that Pride in Maidstone is just getting started, and there will be many more years of colour, love and happiness in this town.

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