The First Norwich Pride

I went to my second pride event yesterday. It happened to be the first one held in Norwich. The city council and a number of employer organisations and unions got behind the whole event. Lots of speakers and performers. Loads of events leading up to the big day with a wind down happening today. The parade itself attracted at least 500 participants maybe more. It was all pretty amazing and, once more for me, a bit emotional. I had a few minutes to speak to Daniel Danso from Stonewall and my regard for Stonewall has just gone up a few more notches ... and his photograph on the Stonewall website does him little justice

Friends of mine were playing in Norwich Samba who led the parade. The mood was joyful ... and for those of you from other discussions we've had about Pride marches, pretty much everyone was dressed in "civvies". A few in fancy dress (some very imaginative), but I saw nothing that could possibly be construed as offensive or outrageous. The positive mood was only threatened as we passed a very sour and miserable-looking bunch of so-called "Christians" waving placards informing us that "the wages of sin are death" and suchlike jolly stuff. One of them was handing out little photocopied booklets bearing a title to the effect that gays can be cured through Jesus I couldn't help wondering what is missing in their lives that they feel the need to interfere in such a personal way in the lives of others. There have got to be other, far more important, issues upon which their god would want them to be expending their energies ... surely? Elsewhere, but marching with us were members of the Unitarian Church. I guess they are also "Christian"?

Anyway, I don't suppose anyone from the organising committee is reading this, but thanks! It was a good first Pride and I look forward to the next one.

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(not my video, by the way. I just nicked it from YouTube)

[joseph]

thaht is is very nice. i think it is very good gay pride

Hey - I'm new here.
Just logged on because of the topic on Norwich Pride.
I went, and was expecting just a few drag queens, a couple of bears, and an old man with his dog... jesus, how wrong was I!

I don't often get emotional, but watching hundreds of people walking through Norwich all with one thing in common with me was amazing.
I've always said that Norwich was a safe and open city, and I hope the Pride march has given others the same opinion.

Next year I'll be in the march - along with other friends who were watching it too.

Sadly, I also saw the Christian's parading their views too - and I agree their efforts could be spent doing 'better' things for the world, but I suppose they have every right to flaunt their opinions, just as we should be able to express ours.
I just hope they don't mind an argument!

Matt

[Marky]

Lol from that user part 33 I think with the two people dancing.. I know them

Originally Posted by Twazzle

Lol from that user part 33 I think with the two people dancing.. I know them

You know lesbians?

[Marky]

Yush!!! Well only one of those was a lesbian the other is a guy.. But yeh I know a few lesbians!!! She was there with her LGBT group also Norwich based... and after I believe a few of them got up and danced?

[princealbertofb]

You've got to hear what Davey Wavey has to say about this year's Toronto pride... just the numbers are baffling...

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For a 26 year old, this dude seems to analyse situations quite well... Oh, and ... erm ... you might like to catch an eyeful of his splendid pecs??? He's topless in most of his videos...

[princealbertofb]

And here's his coming out story, a classic but nice one, I guess....

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Peace out! (whatever that means!)

HI I am one of the organising committee and have forwarded the link to the whole committee as it great to hear such positive feedback. We are having a little break at the moment but next years is booked for July 31st so it will continue in the future mostly on the last weekend of July every year. The website is [Only registered members can see links. ] which will keep all the updates as they happen and also if anyone interested cinema city is continuing its out at the movie nights each month which has been really good and a different night out for the community. Thanks again for coming and for the great feedback
Matt x

Just goes to show, you never know who is looking

Cheers.

I don't usually care to resurrect old threads (unless they happen to be the ones in my wardrobe ), but I couldn't believe the recent news about 67 year-old woman in Norwich who complained to the city council about Norwich's brilliant first pride event.

In the letter, she described gays as "sodomites". She added that homosexuality had "contributed to the downfall of every empire" and was a major cause of sexually transmitted infections.

... It is shameful that this small, but vociferous lobby should be allowed such a display unwarranted by the minimal number of homosexuals."

She claims not to have been homophobic, but merely expressing her "Christian beliefs" ... For a Christian she shows remarkable little knowledge of the Sermon on the Mount ... unbelievable.

This is where things get messy. A council officer replied to her letter warning her that she could be considered guilty of hate crime and passed her letter on to the police. They sent two officers round to her house who decided that no crime had been committed. Rather than thank her lucky stars she wasn't prosecuted and try to be nicer to people she contacted the Daily Telegraph and has got the awful Christian Institute gang to advise her about taking legal action ... ... unbelievable ... still it could have been worse. She might have gone to the Daily Mail, I suppose

Just what is the matter with these people?

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[fredv3b]

Why did they need to send a couple of bobbies round? Surely, whether any crime was committed or not depends on the contents of the letter?

Maybe they don't always prosecute people with mental health problems?

[fredv3b]

Originally Posted by marshlander

Maybe they don't always prosecute people with mental health problems?

Technically, that is a decision not to prosecute rather than a decision that no crime was committed.

Of course, Fred, of course