Rainbow colours, glitter, colourful floats, dance and music is what you think when you think Pride Parade. But behind all this colour and excitement is a community standing proud together in solidarity, fighting for their rights and celebrating equality.
Since the Pride movement began in Dublin in the 70s it has seen some great times but also some dark times. In 1974, eight members of the Gay Liberation Society and Sexual Liberation Movement held the first public gay demonstration in Ireland. This took place outside the Department of Justice. Following the tragic murder of Declan Flynn in 1982 the gay rights movement generated more support with 200 people attending the Gay Rights Protest March in 1983. In 1993 some 1,000 people marched in the parade to celebrate the decriminalisation of homosexuality – a landmark win by now Senator David Norris in the European Court. Last year, 60,000 people took to the streets of Dublin for the Pride Parade.
This parade was the biggest Pride ever and rightly so because it came a month after Ireland become the first country to approve same-sex marraige by popular vote. The Pride Parade is the highlight of the now five day annual festival and sees crowds both from the LGBTQ community and beyond come out in support. Those who gather together for this occasion march in solidarity and celebrate the LGBTQ Community, their diversity, achievements and friends.
According to the chairperson of Dublin Pride, Jason Flynn, the pride movement began from a need for recognition, visibility and rights for the LGBTQ Community. “Over the years, those peaceful events gave way to angrier protests, particularly following the murder of Declan Flynn in the 1980s, to the more recent campaigns for marriage equality and gender recognition”.
As our community evolves, so does Pride; because we don’t exist in a vacuum, there will always be a need for Pride. Whether we are highlighting inequality or celebrating equality, we will always be working to make sure LGBTQ voices are heard, in Dublin and beyond.
As we say goodbye to the Dublin Pride Festival 2016, take a look at some of the many highlights of this years parade.
Follow @RainbowMileDub on Twitter for find out everything there is to know about Dublin’s vibrant and bustling LGBT scene.
