Birkbeck Students’ Union at the London Pride Parade 2023
On July 1st, members and friends of the Birkbeck Students’ Union had the wonderful honour and privilege to take part in the London Pride Parade. This parade marked 51 years since the first march for LGBT+ rights in London, in 1972. This year’s theme was “Never March Alone” in support of the trans and non-binary community.
Before the parade on Saturday, the SU held a poster and sign workshop on Thursday in preparation, which was a cheerful turnout gearing up for the big event over the weekend. We would like to thank everyone who attended, even if they couldn’t make it to the parade. We greatly appreciate your support!
This year the parade began at noon and ran from Hyde Park Corner, through Piccadilly Circus, Haymarket, and Trafalgar Square, coming to a close at Whitehall Place. Along with the parade, London Pride offered an afternoon of magnificent performances on different stages set up in Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Golden Square, Soho Square and Dean Street, as well as a Family Area at St Giles-in-the-Field, which was dedicated to LGBT+ families. All the events were free and operated on a first-come-first-served basis and were available for any member of the community.
The Trafalgar Square Stage was headlined by Adam Lambert with support from Rita Ora, Idina Menzel and Todrick Hall along with several many other brilliant artists. The LGBTQIA Women and Non-Binary Stage located in Leicester Square was hosted by Krystal Lake and Christian Adore which was an awe-inspiring space dedicated to women and non-binary individuals. The Golden Square Stage hosted a diverse group of performers brought together by the Cocoa Butter Club and Club Kali. Soho Square Stage was curated by performer and activist Mzz Kimberly, which was a designated space for trans artists and hosts. The Dean Street Stage was headlined by the amazing drag king LoUis CYfer and dazzling drag queen Victoria Scone who led the way for over 25 cabaret artists and performers. Soho Square, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Pall Mall East, Golden Square, and the Family Area offered a selection of food and drinks stalls, as well as a selection of souvenirs for sale, proceeds from which were donated in support of LGBT+ charities.
As the Birkbeck SU was set to join the parade at 16:00, we gathered at Grosvenor Square beforehand for an afternoon at the park. Birkbeck students, staff, and friends alike joined pre-parade festivities such as face painting, body glitter, drinks, and good music. It was wonderful to witness the forging of friendships and the inclusive celebration of our community.
Our Union joined the parade at our allocated time in the late afternoon, among other universities and educational institutions. The atmosphere was electric even before the starting point and much of this time was spent singing, dancing, and getting to know our parade “neighbours”. Once in the flow of the walking parade, we carried our banners and signs high and proud, absolutely elevated by the support of our peers and supporters on the sidelines. It was wonderful to see the enthusiasm and support from everyone attending. Cheered on by our friends and viewers, we made our way to Whitehall singing, dancing, and brimming with joy.
We would like to take the time to issue a massive “thank you” to everyone who attended or was with us in spirit and of course the Community Interest Company for organizing this incredible event and taking such good care of both participants and viewers. Pride events are so incredibly important and we’re proud and honoured to have been able to participate in one of the biggest events of its kind and give our members that same chance. It was a true joy to celebrate the LGBT+ community in such a diverse, inclusive, and spell-binding atmosphere. We cannot wait to attend in the years coming, hoping to return bigger and better each year, with PRIDE!
You can have a look at all the photos from the event by clicking here (you will need to be logged in on your university Microsoft account).
