This year we’re celebrating 50 years of Pride in the UK. At that first Pride in 1972, around 2,000 participants marched together, calling for gay rights. By 2019, London Pride saw 1.5 million people celebrate and protest in support of LGBTQ+ rights. 

We wanted to take the chance to reflect on some of the achievements the movement has accomplished.

In the 70’s – Switchboard, a London-based info and support helpline that still runs today, was established. The first trans conference was held in Leeds and the first gay and lesbian Trades Union Congress conference took place to discuss workplace rights.

In the 1980s, progress sped up rapidly as more LGBTQ+ people came out and demanded equal treatment. We saw the first Black Gay and Lesbian Group being formed, as well as the first bi group in the UK. But as well as increased visibility, the LGBTQ+ population in the UK faced a backlash. In 1988, Margaret Thatcher introduced Section 28, a piece of legislation which banned local authorities from ‘promoting homosexuality’ and effectively banned the discussion of LGBTQ+ issues in schools. More happily, in 1989, Stonewall was founded to fight back against Section 28.

The 1990s saw the World Health Organisation declassify same-sex attraction as a mental illness, and the age of consent for sexual relations between men lowered from 21 to 18. Trans youth charity Mermaids was founded, and two openly gay MPs are elected in the 1997 elections.

In the 2000s, a raft of positive legislation was introduced. The UK Government lifted the ban on LGB people in the armed forces, the age of consent was lowered to 16, same-sex couples were granted equal rights when applying for adoption, and Section 28 was finally repealed across the UK. We also saw same-sex couples granted the same rights as married couples, and allowing trans people to acquire new birth certificates. Finally, The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 outlawed the discrimination in the provision of goods, facilities, services, education and public functions on the grounds of sexual orientation.

In the 2010s, the Equality Act added gender reassignment as a protected characteristic. We saw the introduction of same-sex marriage across the UK. The ban on donating blood for gay and bi men was lifted, and the UK Government issued a posthumous pardon to all men convicted under sexual offences laws which criminalised people for being bi or gay. And we saw the first Trans Pride and Bi Pride events take place in the UK.

We hope you choose to join us in celebrating PRIDE. We believe supporting equality, diversity & inclusivity leads to better healthcare.