The Incredible LGBTQ journey from Highbury Fields to Stonewall

The UK has one of the highest ranking freedom scores for Liberty rights for LGBT communities in the world. We trace London’s Vibrant LBGT scene. Love Gets Bigger Today, Quest and Liberty.

What do LGBT and LGBTQ mean?

Letters, to words, mean different things to different people but the universal topic that joins all of these identities is Love & Equality. Whether it is loving an identity, being part of a movement or part of an increasing society that stands up for inclusion. Many still do not know what these letters stand for though. But a Striped coloured flag is one of the most iconic symbols known all over the world.

Lesbian   Gay  Bi    Transgender    Queer

Rainbow Flag summer 2018 London Pride
Rainbow Flag summer 2018 London Pride
Rainbow Flag for pride london 2018 Bishopsgate Institue
Rainbow Flag for pride London 2018 Bishopsgate Institue

Why is the LGBT flag striped?

Colour stripes make up the Rainbow flag, which is recognised internationally as a symbol of gay rights. It came out in 1978 and was designed by Gilbert Baker, who was a gay rights activist. Here are what the colours of the original set of stripes meant. The amount of stripes has been simplified over the years or adapted.  The red stripe hangs at the top.

Rainbow Flag summer 2018 London Pride
Rainbow Flag summer 2018 London Pride
Shoreditch High street TFL rondel in the colours of the Rainbow Flag for Pride London 2018
Shoreditch High street TFL rondel in the colours of the Rainbow Flag for Pride London 2018
Shoreditch High street tube platform chairs in the colours of the Rainbow Flag for Pride London 2018
Shoreditch High street tube platform chairs in the colours of the Rainbow Flag for Pride London 2018

What was the first series of colours

  1. Hot pink = sex
  2. Red = Life
  3. Orange = Healing
  4. Yellow = Sunlight
  5. Green = Nature
  6. Turquoise = Magic/ Arts
  7. Indigo = Serenity
  8. Violet = Spirit.
TFL tube platform seats in the spirit to use other colours of the Rainbow Flag for Pride London 2018
TFL tube platform seats in the spirit to use other colours of the Rainbow Flag for Pride London 2018
Shoreditch High street TFL rondel in the colours of the Rainbow Flag for Pride London 2018
Shoreditch High street TFL rondel in the colours of the Rainbow Flag for Pride London 2018

What is the meaning of PRIDE in the LGBTQ movement?

A word associated with solidarity defending the rights of the LGBTQ movement. The Rainbow flag colours being used during events, or when buildings which to declare they welcome members of the LGBTQ community.

Coca cola Pride Piccadilly Circus Summer 2018 London
Coca-cola Pride Piccadilly Circus Summer 2018 London
Coca Cola Pride colours Piccadilly Circus
Coca-Cola Pride colours Piccadilly Circus

The First Pride March in London?

In 1970 Gay men marched over Highbury Fields in London, for equality. The First Pride event in London was 1st July 1972. This date was chosen to be as near as possible to the date of the actual Stonewall Riots, in the USA.

Highbury fields Plague for the first Gay rights march Islington London
Highbury fields Plague for the first Gay rights march Islington London

 

Stonewall Riots were in defence of Gay rights, in Manhattan New York, on the 28th June 1st July 1969. They were violent activist retaliations against the police who had raided the Stonewall Inn. In the 60s, they raided places regularly in America. Too many things were against the law if one was Gay. The Stonewall Inn was a shelter and inclusive place for members of the LGBTQ community, even though it was risky because most places were not catering for LGBTQ people, or not being allowed to. The Raid on the Inn was the last straw and had a chain reaction that changed destiny all over the world and is a significant date in the LGBTQ calendar.

1970, saw the first Pride event,  in the USA, in New York. A march took place on the 1st yr anniversary of the Stonewall riots.

Piccadilly Circus Summer 2018 London Pride images
Piccadilly Circus Summer 2018 London Pride images
TFL riverboat sign Pride style
TFL riverboat sign Pride style
Pride style London Pub
Pride style London Pub

Significant historical LGBTQ events in the UK

1967 LGBT and the Law, United Kingdom

Decriminalisation of Homosexuality. Sexual Offences Act of 1967. Same-sex relations between males was allowed in private if both over the age of 21.

Same-sex relations between two women was never against the law

1973 homosexuality reclassified

Homosexuality was reclassified in the Statistical Manual of Disorders in the UK from a Mental Disorder to sexual orientation disturbance – (the reclassification was still concerning)

The American Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,(DSM) had homosexuality removed, for it previously was listed as a mental disorder, but was rebranded as “sexual orientation disturbance”. Still concerning.

Pride Flag and British Flag
Pride Flag and British Flag

1987 homosexuality is no longer classified as a Mental Disorder

DSM, see above, totally drops all rebranded words for homosexuality from being listed as a mental disorder.

1990 WHO (World Health Organisation) declassified homosexuality

Moreover, the WHO has a mental health classification book called the ICD, homosexuality was removed as a disease.

Costa supporting Pride colour flag
Costa supporting Pride colour flag

2000 LGBT can now join the armed forces

HM British Armed forces lifted the ban on recruiting LGBT people

2001 Age of Consent was Equalised

Age of consent was equalised no matter what orientation to 16 England, Scotland and Wales.

2002 LGBT adoption became possible

Gay people and unmarried couples to adopt children.

2003 LGBT – repeal of the controversial Section 28 legislation in the UK

Repeal of the controversial Section 28 legislation in the UK, 2001 in Scotland. Section 28, was under the Local Government Act 1988. Schools, teachers were not allowed to discuss same-sex relationships with students.

Council libraries were not allowed to stock LGBT themed books or films. It was endorsed by the Prime Minister of the time, Thatcher. It was seen as a homophobic stance which instilled bullying, playground prejudice, it prevented people from accessing educational material about these topics. Demonstrations, marches, and activism retaliated against this.

Pride Flag London 2018
Pride Flag London 2018

2004 – Same-sex civil partnership became possible

Same-sex civil partnerships were granted England & Wales

2005 Transgender people had the right to change their legal gender

Transgender people had the right to change their legal gender, this came under, The Gender Recognition Act 2004.

2008 Homophobic Hate crime was now illegal

Homophobic hate crime was now illegal in the UK.

2009 Public apology by the then PM given for the treatment to the World War 2 code Breaker Alan Turing

Prime Minister Gordon Brown made a public apology for the treatment of Alan Turing. Turing was a WW2 code breaker and brilliant mathematician, associated with the Enigma machine, and Bletchley Park.  Due to the fact, Turing was convicted in 1952 for his sexuality and having relations with a man. He suffered inhumanely as a result. It caused him health problems, and lead him to take his own life in 1954.

pride colours Kors shop winder summer London 2018
pride colours Kors shop winder summer London 2018

2013 Same-Sex marriages where legalised

Same-sex marriages were legalised in England, Scotland and Wales, came into force 2014

Pardoning is also a new concept, The Alan Turing Law, that gives gay people convicted for homosexual acts that are no longer illegal amnesty to have those convictions removed, or in essence to not have a criminal record because of their orientation.

Alan Turing the WW2 code breaker was given a  posthumous royal pardon in 2013.

Rainbow flag high mast
Rainbow flag high mast

2018 the BBC Strictly Come Dancing show in 2018 hosted same gender couple

30th September BBC Strictly Come Dancing results show, hosted the first time professional dancers used same-gender couples in their group performance. Excellent!

share the Hangerlondon:

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest

Still hungry? Here’s more

0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x