FEATURE:
Born This Way
IN THIS PHOTO: People united for the 2019 World Pride NYC and Stonewall 50th LGBTQ Pride parade in New York/PHOTO CREDIT: Reuters
The Pride Playlist
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I put together a Pride in London playlist last year...
IN THIS PHOTO: Scenes from last year’s London Pride/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images for Pride In London
and brought together some classic cuts. Those across the L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. spectrum are united in London and it is a great day out there. I have been travelling around London and there is a lot of happiness, colour and togetherness. There is a lot more to come today and, if you are in London, you will see the crowds together; everyone with banners and the people in step. It is rare that we see this sort of mass descend on London for such positive reasons. It is, as this report from The Evening Standard shows, a year when we celebrate but also mark fifty years since the Stonewall uprising
“As many as 1.5 million people will descend on London today for what is being hailed as the UK’s biggest and most diverse Pride parade yet.
Those taking part will celebrate 50 years since the Stonewall uprising in New York, a moment which changed the face of the gay rights movement around the world.
Parade groups will honour five decades of activism, protests and victories, and those behind this year's march have said it is an opportunity for people to stand up against bigotry and hatred in all its forms.
From midday on Saturday some 600 groups, a 25 per cent increase on last year, will march through the capital's streets for the annual burst of colour, music and dance.
PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images
This year's parade is aiming to champion diversity, with the introduction of a new World Area at Golden Square in Soho, in a bid to increase the visibility of black, Asian and minority ethnic (Bame) LGBT+ people.
The event also has improved accessibility this year, including viewing platforms for the Trafalgar Square stage, sign language interpreters and captioning for all performances across two large screens, and accessible, gender-neutral toilets.
It is an important year for sure and it makes me wonder whether we have progressed. In terms of music, there are some fantastic L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. artists but one feels that their path to mainstream is not as smooth as it should be. There is a lot to unpack and discuss in the music industry regarding equality and visibility but, with this Pride celebration being so huge and timely, I do hope change and progression comes into music. Today is all about togetherness and pride, and so, I am focused on some great Pride anthems. From the classics through to those outsider hits, here are some great tracks that will soundtrack…
PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images
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