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Do we view Pride as more of a party than a protest?

23rd - 30th June 2023

22054

Total votes

9835

5-11 votes

12219

11-16+ votes

Pride Month, one that is festooned with rainbow flags and balloons, is now a month for celebrating LGBTQ+ people across the country and the world. But it wasn’t always the case. The first Pride parade in the UK was only in 1972, and was in response to the events at the Stonewall Inn in New York in 1969.

The link between the two events was cemented by the choice of the anniversary of the Stonewall riots as the date for the Pride parade.

Since then it has grown and there are Pride parades across the UK. Attendance at events has grown to massive proportions. With 1.5 million people attending the 2022 Pride parade in London.

To close Pride month 2023, voters reflected on the protesting roots of Pride and how it has evolved into the events we see today. They considered whether its original meaning has been lost amongst the rise of parades, parties and products, and reflected on whether we need to keep the rights of LGBTQ+ people at the forefront of these celebrations.

child

5-11 voter

"A protest can be a party, like celebrating Pride week, you are protesting against the negative opinions others have but also you are showcasing the love, fun, colour and support that the community has."

teenager

11-16 voter

"We feel it should be a party, a celebration of diversity!"

student

16+ voter

"Some people view Pride as both a party and protest, perhaps a bit of both - but I suppose the question is - have we forgotten the roots of what Pride is? Companies & politicians have ruined the message of Pride and all the important voices get drowned out."

58% of those aged between 11 & 16 voted 'Yes' to the question, "Do we view Pride as more of a party than a protest?"

  • Our 16+ & College voters also had a majority 'Yes' swing for this question, at 62%.
  • Some argued that the meaning behind Pride has been lost and is now for big companies to capitalise on and make a profit.
  • On the other hand, many thought that Pride was a celebration of how far LGBTQ+ rights have progressed and a protest is no longer as necessary.
68% of those aged beteen 7 & 11 voted 'Yes' to the question, "Can a party be a protest?"

  • Our voters aged between 7 & 11 were considering whether a party can also be a protest.
  • The majority said 'Yes' and thought Pride was a perfect example of this in action.
  • This outcome also matched many of the comments we received for the 11-16+ VT question (see above).
70% of those aged between 5 & 7 said that a protest should be fun

  • Our youngest voters, aged between 5 & 7 were discussing whether a protest should be fun.
  • The majority, at 70% voted 'Yes'.
  • Some voters argued that whilst protests like Pride should be fun, other protests (including workers striking for better pay) should not be fun as it can take away from the seriousness of the message.
many argued that pride can be both part and protest

  • The most common theme in the Secondary, 16+ & College comments for this VoteTopic was the idea that Pride can be a party and a protest at the same time.
pride protests results banner

Feedback from our Impact Partners...

Thank you to our friends at Stonewall UK for responding to what the children said this week.

Adam Barkes, Associate Director of Education, Youth and Sport from Stonewall UK commented on what the children said about Pride month. Stonewall are a charity that campaigns for a change in public attitudes and policy to ensure LGBTQ+ people can thrive throughout their lives.

See previous week's results