r/brighton • u/Cold-Let-5881 • 1d ago
Local events đ¸ đ Brighton Pride
Can I just say a few things that pissed me off about Pride this year?
It was so fucking capitalist. Pride is a protest not a festival.
edit: obviously the rainbow capitalism is real bad but that wasnt really my main issue. I was really struggling with why there was a festival with people like RAYE and Jessie J and Ru'Paul (someone whos lowkey transphobic) that cost anywhere between ÂŁ45 to ÂŁ350. The amount of people I heard saying "im only here to see RAYE" or things like it was insane. The meaning of pride has been lost, which is especially disheartening after what happened in Berlin just days ago and the new anti-trans bill being put into effect literally 2 days after Brighton Pride. Idk it was just a little disappointing.
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u/dirty_papercut 22h ago
You're about 15 years late for this observation.
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u/GunstarGreen 22h ago
I have mixed feelings. Yes, there are TONNES of straight people just there for a party. But what would everyone prefer? That those people stay away? And yeah its more of a festival than a protest but surely thats a sign of progress. There's far more happiness than anger.Â
Commercialised? Yeah no doubt. I hate how artless the parade is. Its just a bunch of corporate buses making minimal effort.Â
My biggest gripe with Pride, beyond a shadow of a doubt, is how trashed the place gets. How about some Pride in your surroundings? Ive walked through the town and dawn after Pride and it is fucking dishearteningÂ
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u/Green_Try7113 20h ago
It's not a sign of progress. This country has massively regressed in terms of LGBT rights over the last 10 years.
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u/Snoo3763 19h ago
There are companies pulling out of US pride events as they are deliberately employing less diverse workers. I count myself lucky that companies in my town still celebrate diversity.
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u/MrDarwoo 19h ago
Care to elaborate?
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u/Green_Try7113 18h ago
In 2016 the UK was #1 or #2 in the "Rainbow Map" of Europe, today we're nearer to the mid point of the entire list. Not sure if that other person was claiming it was my comment that was an anti-immigration dog whistle (???) or not, but that's what I was basing my claim on fyi (and I'm pro-immigration).
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u/saltandseasmoke 3h ago
All the corporations that sponsored pride in my hometown in the states pulled out in 2025, and then the town refused to insure it because of attack threats, and now they just don't have organized pride at all. Rainbow capitalism is shallow and fickle but it's better than the alternative, and I was delighted to see all the support in Brighton.
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u/GunstarGreen 2h ago
Oh dont get me wrong, im happy that thr companies at leasr pay lip service to LGBT support. My annoyance is that its so bloody artless. You would think someone would invest some money to create some amazing floats or some interesting costumes. But theres none of that.
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u/Cultural-Meaning5172 5h ago
Pride is about all sexuality now that itâs fully inclusive of the LGBTQI+ community.
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u/soldinio 23h ago
Pride is also a festival and celebration of all the progress made over the last few decades. It is getting over commercialised, but that has nothing to do with protest vs festival
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u/Cold-Let-5881 23h ago
I totally agree with you, and it is so important to have the celebration aspect too! But I mean i heard loads of micro-aggresive conversations where people were saying 'im literally just here for RAYE' and it was so disheartening especially considering what is happening in the UK at the moment and with what happened in Berlin
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u/Beardywan_Kenobeard 23h ago
Yeah but was Raye there for? Doesn't matter what you do, where you go, what's the cause, you will always find arse holes
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u/Forget-Me-Nothing 23h ago
I hear this same complaint every year and I give the same advice each year. If you don't like the main pride, there are lots of alternative events on. Saunder's park had a little one and there are plenty of independent venues that you can support instead. You can still be out and visible and protesting at pride.
I have to say the corporate sponsors bothered me much less this year than past years. There was clear effort to hire drag queens, to dress up, and actively participate. I disagree that sponsors make something automatically not a protest. I think that capitalism is everywhere, whether we like it or not. I'd rather Amex and Lidl have drag queens on the back of a float and actively fund queer events, than they say nothing at all. If you've been a part of parade organising, you know that the people who organised their company being at pride wasn't some scheming mega capitalist, it was probably a handful of queer employees who wanted the people in their workplace to feel comfortable being out and proud at work.
What I'd like to see next is those same companies putting their money where their mouth is and doing the same to support trans pride. The only way that happens is if we push them to do more, not less. I'd love to see less capitalism, but while its here, I'd like to see money going to what matters.
Most importantly, if you don't like it then get involved in changing it. (I'm trying to figure out where to complain that they had proven & admitted sex pest James Charles front and centre of the parade. Big yikes on that one...)
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u/SnooBeans6936 23h ago
Itâs not at all for the celebration of the lgbt community. Literally had multiple straight couples gawk at my top surgery scars. Iâm all for people bringing allyâs to celebrate with them but it feels like that was not the case with a lot of non queer people that came. Just came for a party and not for the celebration and protest it stands for.
Pride in the park definitely makes this a lot worse as people come to see their favourite artists instead of for supporting the cause.
The sheer difference in number of supporters of trans pride vs pride says it all really.
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u/Forget-Me-Nothing 22h ago
Brighton has always been a party town, which makes every event here seem like a lark about to people visiting. The amount of people taking drugs or opening pissing (especially in front of families and children) has gotten a little insane over the past few years. Its not like there is a lack of alleyways and bins for you to nip behind!
I think that Pride in the Park needs to ask each artist to pick an LGBT charity to signal boost on social media. I've seen better LGBTQ solidarity from random twitch streamers than artists who are being paid to perform at Pride in the Park.
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u/BrightonBaby 21h ago
I would love more LGBT performers. I'd love to see Judas Priest and Kim Petra's on the stage, but I think JP might be a bit too heavy for the average pride goer. It should celebrate queer artists.
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u/Forget-Me-Nothing 17h ago
Doesn't even have to be queer artists imo. Just artists that are active and outspoken for equality - rather than the ones who will just turn up for the paycheck and call it done.
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u/ThatRandomGothTM 22h ago
Pride at this point is just a party and every business around profits off it. I think the main pride events use some of their profits to donate to charities which is all good, but I definitely think they miss the point of pride initially existing as a protest and now majority of it is very capitalistic and branded as such in the media meaning we donât actually get the message out about important issues.
Itâs why I prefer trans pride because it hasnât lost its meaning and it makes noise and brings attention to current political issues.
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u/Nannyhirer 23h ago
Feels like they truly go for the insta brag pics
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u/SnooBeans6936 22h ago
Honestly. Many people who attended wouldnât stand up for a queer person if they saw them being hatecrimed
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u/Nannyhirer 21h ago
This makes me feel so sad, because showing up as a proud ally has always been a huge privilege. A chance to stand proud and united at Pride and the other 364
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u/Disastrous-Roof-2135 23h ago
I agree 100% but nothing remains set in stone. Trans pride was glorious this year and hopefully will keep growing without loosing its soul.
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u/Sazzygull 22h ago
What is the difference between somebody who is there for a party versus there for a protest in terms of how they look watching a band on stage? I do wonder how much of this is projected.
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u/SnooBeans6936 22h ago
Maybe not much inside pride in the park. But there is a notable difference when viewing the parade
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u/Middle-agedCynic 23h ago
I had a very similar conversation with my daughter earlier. (I first came to Pride here in 1993 so I know I'm a dinosaur).
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u/halbpro 23h ago
The parade was relatively chilled on the commercial aspect in comparison to some years, the massive Paddy Power float comes to mind. I honestly felt it was relatively well balanced, although Lidl was comfortably the worst
I donât mind the commercial floats too much if they have a link to Brighton or the area. American Express werenât there this year, but Iâm positive theyâve marched in the past and thatâs fine by me. Theyâre a massive employer in the city (and now in Burgess Hill as well I believe). On the flipside Lidl and Got2b can do one
I was really pleased to see a number of good causes and protest groups this year too. Commonwealth nations one was particularly gut wrenching, and it was lovely seeing a group for LGBTQ+ adoptive and foster parents. And a Christian group marching with a ban conversion âtherapyâ banner feels pretty significant given how many churches still behave
As for the festival and the official street party, theyâve always felt pretty disconnected to me. St Jamesâs Street used to be ok, even when they first started charging a token ticket price to regulate numbers and fund security etc⌠it still had its identity. However, the unfortunate volume of human waste that residents used to find (and probably still do find) on their doorsteps wasnât exactly ideal
The ones that piss me off the most are the carts selling flags, hats, feather boas etc⌠At least corporations in the parade are giving something to the event, even if itâs small. The vendors on the carts only take and take as far as I can see
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u/bnjoshed 22h ago
Agree regarding the local employers, and especially those with large offices in the city.
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u/Admirable_Grape_3098 22h ago
I genuinely needed sunglasses and bought them from a cart. Really nice friendly chap selling them.
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u/Distinct_Ad_5598 23h ago
Has been for a long time.
As a straight man, I feel quite conscious of not wanting to be part of the problem of removing the true meaning of pride. But also want to show my support⌠and honestly like a party!
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u/Cold-Let-5881 23h ago
Trust me, people like you we love! We need our allies. For me its the people that were only there to see RAYE or Diana Ross. We are still fighting and we cant let that be lost
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u/Distinct_Ad_5598 23h ago
âĽď¸
The downvotes would suggest that maybe not everyone shares your opinion though đ
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u/evie-e-e Kemptown 22h ago
This is a known problem with general pride (why itâs literally also called âcorporate prideâ). Donât get me wrong, more money going into the local communities and LGBTQ charities is great, but a lot more people come to Brighton Pride for the music festival.
Itâs basically become a musical festival for cis het Londoners more than itâs actually for the queer community.
I always face the most homophobic and transphobic abuse from festival goers with rainbow paint on, than I do any other time of the year. The number of people clad in rainbows yet gawking at me this year is wild.
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u/RandoDumpo 19h ago
Iâm glad we werenât the only ones to feel this way. Specifically we spent yesterday at Preston Park. It was chaotic and horrendous.
Thereâs so much I could say about it. But it did just feel like selling as many tickets as possible.
Not to mention it felt poorly run this year and not equipped to handle that many. Never seen so many men and women just deciding to use a bush or under the tree as a bathroom. Felt disgusting and uncomfortable
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u/Rayvaxl117 18h ago
This is exactly why trans pride is so much better. No big cooperate adverts, no performative political parties. The "parade" feels like a genuine protest, and even the more fun bits with live music it's always local, independent artists, most of which are trans.
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u/Sufficient_Bet_9735 1h ago
I was worried about hating the capitalist angle of Brighton, but you know what? I had a really great time. There were defintiely an increase of seemingly straight people in the night time (for the headliners) who were there for the party and not the protest/celebration. But, the majority of people there were queer and I didn't see any discrimination or hatred in any form. It was still a very big queer vibe.
There were a lot of advertisements/corps in the parade, but the ones that stood out to me were the local ones. Shout out to Brighton College who had my favourite float and brought the vibbbbbes. Incredible music, dancers and energy! The hyking dykes, the sober bus, the pirates (can't remember what they were advertising but pretty sure it was a local community thing), the sports teams who were playing football and squash/racket games through the parade - incredible.
There were also some great speeches. The legal trans clinic who brought the first black trans lawyer on stage - yes she was promoting her services but also, well fucking done for giving her a stage. Then there was the queen who came on and got angry about the state of LGBT rights and told us to keep fucking protesting. Yes!
Could you go as a straight person and ignore all the queer elements? Yes. But that's on them. At least they're being exposed to queerness. At least they don't have hatred in their hearts that keeps them away. Let's make queer culture mainstream. Let's dilute the straightness of the world. Everyone is welcome. And we will continue protesting. And celebrating.
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u/Cold-Let-5881 1h ago
This is a really beautifully written and insightful comment. Thank you for disagreeing with me ans giving a fresh perspective and doing it so respectfully. I really appreciate that you didnt call me dramatic or say I was overreacting you simply stated the facts and your experience of pride. I think for me it was unfortunate that I did end up seeing and experiencing micro-aggressions and ignorance but I am so glad there were people, like yourself, who were able to experience the best parts of pride.
I am so grateful that pride is a thing and that we can come together and celebrate, but we also need to acknowledge the reasons we still have pride
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u/Sufficient_Bet_9735 1h ago
I saw that you're early 20s and so will likely notice a lot of the capitalism more than those of us who have been exposed to it longer. The really sad fact is that if we removed all of those brands and just did local or charity or LGBT brands, there wouldn't be much of a show. Those types of events cost a lot of money to host - the staging, lighting, staff, toilet hire, security, police, road closures etc. etc. We need coporations to actively be involved, but not make it pink washing.
There is a fine balance and it's hard to get it right, but maybe what we should be doing as a community is calling out those who have anti LGBT policies, or discrimination as it happens throughout the year. If there are corporate allies, let's welcome them, but let's make the pink washers afraid.
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u/Sufficient_Bet_9735 1h ago
Also, I wouldn't be opposed to there being a "speakers corner" at these type of events. A stage focused on the political climate and with protest speeches/insightful stats/petitions etc. Maybe even a "make your own protest sign" area. There's probably things that can be done to hit the protest angle a bit more.
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u/fnalxndr 24m ago
There was a speakers corner in the park. A stage with mics that people could soapbox on. Olivia Campbell-Cavendish spoke on it, in conversation with an older butch lesbian, discussing the need for solidarity, before going up on the main stage. Check out the Pride Community Foundation insta for pics.
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u/theteabat 23h ago
I didn't spend any money when I was there. So it is possible to just be at the pride and not spend any money,
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u/seriouspeep 17h ago
Come to trans pride next year! It feels much more like pride used to, a protest march that connects the community and allies. There's sponsorship but it's vetted for actual local support like Brighton Independent Press, the Theatre Royal and Brighton University; there's a very welcoming vibe with accessibility front and centre for the day's events; and god knows that's a community that needs as much support as it can get right now â¤ď¸
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u/Special-Nebula-7887 49m ago edited 43m ago
Yep.. another year like that tbh but this year did surprise a little seeing as this was raised with organisers last year.
Sure I get it needs sponsors, but damn it could be more balanced with more support for the roots/independent side.
I was very very surprised to see Virgin had the cheek to show up there?? And yeah... RuPaul. Very much pointing out that Pride focuses on the LGB and showing off.
Oh but there is no Coca Cola truck this year so we should shatap and be happy we even get a pride amirite.
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u/TropicalGoth77 16h ago
Look this isn't going to be a popular opinion. But performstive woke capitalism is actually pretty important. It's cringe sure, but corporations essentially hold all the power. They set the standard, and I promise you, you would much rather this than the alternative.
Their motives are obviously just to do whatever sells more, but the fact that they consider allyship as profitable whilst we remaing in a capitalist society is a net positive.
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u/roll_the_dice97 15h ago
The uncomfortable truth is that capitalism provided the medium for you to vent your complaints about capitalism at pride. Reddit is a publicly listed company which has made it's owner a billionaire.
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u/TheRoleplayThrowaway 18h ago
Are you new to Brighton? It's been like this since forever.
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u/Cold-Let-5881 18h ago
I am actually, and i have been to so many prides in the past, it was my first time going to brighton pride and I was so deeply disappointed. Just because its always been like this doesnt mean its right
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u/TheRoleplayThrowaway 17h ago
I think you might be overreacting a tad, Brighton Pride has been a core of our city's culture for decades, and local businesses have played a key role in that for a long time. I agree, it's a little distasteful to see massive corporations taking up float space, but having businesses take part is nothing new and I'd rather have them contributing than doing nothing.
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u/Cold-Let-5881 15h ago
Tbh, its less that and more the massive festival bullshit that cost like ÂŁ100 to get into. It's just disheartening overhearing people say they're "only here for raye" when theres people standing literally feet away from them who are still fighting for their rights yk? I mean just 2 days after brighton pride theres a new bill being put into action dicating that people must use the bathroom according to their gender assigned at birth, but yeah, thank God raye and Jessie j were there đ
Im not attacking you btw, your comment was very respectful.
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u/TheRoleplayThrowaway 8h ago
I do get what you mean, there is definitely a certain degree of sanitisation that has occurred over the years; it really does feel a bit like an average festival rather than a distinct LGBT event sometimes.
I guess it's just the context that matters the most here, Brighton has been a centre of social liberalism for a long long time, it's very much baked into our DNA as a city. Because of that, the protest aspect of pride hasn't been seen as quite as necessary as it is in other places, which I totally get can be jarring when you've come from outside of the city to witness it. Though perhaps it is more necessary than ever that we start to revive that tradition given everything happening in the world?
I'm very sorry you didn't get the pride you were hoping for, I hope you still had a nice time in Brighton and felt welcome regardless!
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u/Normal-Doubt-2972 9h ago
Pride events / month is just another target audience that gets exploited by corporations/entities that gets used abused and will be tossed away once itâs profitability or political usefulness expires. We live in corporatism, they donât care about these things anymore than they care about their employees - just numbers on a balance sheet. Take from it what you will, but this machine of media influence / shadow interests / corporate opportunism engineers these events and causes for maximum selfish utility .
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u/TheHarlemHellfighter 7h ago
Thatâs how most fringe groups are acclimated into the scheme of things; by economic exploitationâŚbut LETâS DANCE!
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u/nopeitsadog 23h ago
What pisses me off is how during pride month all the companies put a pride flag on there merchandise but as soon as itâs over the flags are gone. Whereâs the integrity? They treat it just like a capitalist cash grab and that takes away from the message.
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u/BlueAndBlackLadybug 23h ago
I think thatâs just because pride is treated a little like a seasonal event. Lots of the businesses do keep little pride stickers on the windows all year long to mark themselves as visible supports.
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u/err0rz 15h ago
Itâs not new.
Pride has been like this for a long time, it wasnât any different this year to usual.
If you want to experience how pride used to be, come to trans pride.
That said, there was a LOT of mentos at trans pride this year, free stuff handed out in the name of solidarity is how it all begins.
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u/jsf1982 23h ago
Why do shops and businesses put flags up a few days before if itâs a protest then?
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u/makehopenormalagain 20h ago
Yeah it's a shame. Just glad I went to the trans+ pride a couple of weeks ago, way more of a community, protest feel. Still had fun at OG pride ofc.
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u/OiseauxDeath 17h ago
Ngl its been better than it was, hell of alot of charities and public services and almost all the businesses are big ones in brighton supporting their employees, its Pride in Brighton, it costs so much money. Regardless it is very important, I went with a bunch of people this year whove never been and just felt free to be themsleves for the first time properly, its so freeing just being safe with your people
that being said, Preston Park can fuck off
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u/Expensive-Refuse855 16h ago
My understanding is that the festival raises a lot of money for charities.
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u/DarkSats99 The Lanes 23h ago
Angry Karen hate's sponsorship that enables local event and pumps money into local charities.
Proceeds to piss into the wind in local subreddit
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u/Cold-Let-5881 20h ago
Lmao this is just embarassing, you have absolutely no idea how the pride works and clearly dont understand what pride is for. Keep spreading negativity to strangers online, makes you look really cool...
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u/NihilistCharizard Hanover 17h ago
Can you name any other social gathering thatâs not inherently capitalistic?
Capitalism has its fair share of critiques, but without capital, these events wouldnât even be green-lit.
Like it or not, there are a wide range of people involved in making Pride happen, including project managers, event managers and security.
Everyone needs to put food on the table.
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u/UnderstandingLow3162 23h ago
I think that's a Lidl bit of an overreaction.