Last weekend was the August Bank Holiday which can mean only one thing - Manchester Pride Big Weekend. The cumulation of the previous week's selection of queer events including London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival On Tour (bringing us "Otto; or, Up With Dead People"), exhibitions and performances. But it's the Big Weekend that everyone knows about and refers to as Pride. And it has nothing to do with Pride.

Sure, it has a parade. I went last year and about 60% was commercial entities (The Corona bus, Essential etc.), 30% was gay nurses/firefighters etc. and the rest was local gay groups (including Bear Wash, Salford Ladies United Temperance Society, GLYSS and Queer Youth). Yes, pride needs to show how far we've come, but this is not the only thing it needs. It needs to showcase our community, it's variety, it's vitality, it's diversity. It also needs to inform what we're still fighting for. And this does not happen.

This could possibly be forgiven if the parade didn't finish at the other part of the Big Weekend... the gay village itself. Handily fenced off. Yes, that's right. Pride turns our village into a genuine ghetto. We're so proud of ourselves that we put up walls to segregate ourselves from the mainstream. We're so anxious to show ourselves and our pride in who we are that we hide behind wooden fences. This is how we celebrate Pride.

And we charge an entrance fee. Now, this entrance fee goes to charity. Well... sort of... Many blog articles exist showing the wonderful way our pride supports our community. Our tickets don't go to charity. Our tickets cover Manchester Pride's costs. And then a little bit goes to charity. In the meantime, pubs, clubs and hotels rake in £17million by fleecing us even more.

And then there's the stories of this year's Pride not Profit parade entry, the young people denied access to the youth tent and the candlelit HIV vigil taking place within the Pride Prison.

I'm proud of Manchester. Aren't you?

Alex
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