CityLife

Peter Tatchell talks Manchester Pride

Tatchell campaigns

A FAMILIAR figure on the news, Tatchell has attempted to arrest Robert Mugabe and, perhaps most famously, interrupted the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Easter sermon in a bid to highlight what he saw as Dr Carey’s discriminatory views towards gay people.

This year, saw Tatchell involved in the Slavic Pride march in Moscow in direct opposition to the city’s homophobic mayor. Taking place on the same day as the Eurovision Song Contest, an event known to have a certain gay following, activists risked life and limb to highlight gay rights in the face of violent opposition.

However comfortable we may feel taking to the streets of Manchester to celebrate the gay community, it is clearly a different story elsewhere.

At this year’s Manchester Pride, Tatchell will be addressing the main stage to open the Big Weekend festivities on August 28 followed by leading the city centre parade.

'a serious side'

“I am delighted to attend Manchester Pride and I hope lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people from all over the north west will join me,” he says. “This year we are celebrating 40 years since the Stonewall Riots in New York, which triggered the world-wide movement for LGBT human rights. The Pride festival is fun, with lots of parties. But there is also a serious side: our on-going campaign for LGBT equality.”

Tatchell accepts that over the last decade we have made great strides towards equality, but adds that there are many battles to go. “We have not quite won equal treatment,” he adds simply.

“The government supports the ban on same-sex marriage. Civil partnerships are not equality. They are a form of sexual apartheid, with different laws for gay and straight couples. Gay and bisexual men are prohibited from donating blood, even if they always practice safe sex and have tested HIV-negative.”

Highlighting an on-going battle, Tatchell goes on to say, “Successive Home Secretaries have given visas and work permits to reggae singers who incite the murder of gay people. Such incitement is a serious criminal offence.”

There still remains much to be done to address issues such as hate crime; a number of murders are thought to stem from homophobia in Britain and many people still remain scared of reporting attacks.

'until we win'

“The government’s current Equality Bill is supposed to ensure equal rights for everyone but it specifically denies lesbian and gay people protection against harassment.

Labour’s many commendable gay law reforms are no excuse for its stonewalling on the abolition of these remaining aspects of homophobic discrimination. We won’t stop campaigning until we win full respect, acceptance, dignity and human rights.”

However, Manchester Pride is also a celebration and Peter Tatchell will be up on stage to launch the Big Weekend. Straight up after him is an appearance by Bananarama.

“Thankfully, I’m on [before] them,” he concludes. “That would have been a very hard act to follow.”