Pride

Hi readers,

There is a film called Pride that I watched a few days ago, and it's so worth watching because i§t's so inspirational and emotional, and it makes you believe that even if you are different, anything is possible.

Pride is about a group of gays and lesbians in London who have a common foe in Margaret Thatcher with the striking Welsh miners. They create a group called LGSM - Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners - and visit Wales to gain allies there in their battle against Thatcher, discrimination and stereotypes.

If you haven't seen the film, skip over this part :)

Joe, the main character, sees a Gay Pride Parade in London, and ends up holding up a banner alongside Mike, a member of the LGSM. Joe has not quite accepted that he is gay, and has not yet 'come out of the closet', and so could not really be part of the group; however, he becomes their official photographer. Joe tells his parents he is going away on a baking course, but goes to Onllywn, Wales, to meet a small community of miners who accept the help of the LGSM after getting over the initial shock of who they were. The leader of the group, Mark Ashton, speaks in the town hall of the village, and is accepted by most, and those who were not accepting were thrown out.

Joe comes home, and hides the photos he took in a book that he thought no one would look at - a book of fairy tales. However, whilst he is supposedly on another baking course, Joe's older sister looks in his room for a good book to read to her child, and finds the book. She tells her parents and when Joe gets back, they confront him about it, and he is forced to come out.

While Joe was in Wales that second time, he was taking photos of Mark speaking, but was interrupted by a young man who took him off to the side of the room; the boy kissed Joe, and he realised that he would have to come out to his parents; but they had found out already.

The LGSM raised a great sum of money for the miners, but then Mark distances himself from the group in fear of being infected with HIV. He confronts Joe about hiding his homosexuality, and standing up for himself.

In 1986, the Labour Party incorporated Gay and Lesbian rights into their party's programme, due to pressure from the National Union of Mineworkers.

If you are part of the LGBT community, have PRIDE!

See you soon, readers!

E.V. x