Understanding Pride: A Brief History and Its Importance
To truly understand Pride, people must first be educated about its history and significance.
Pride Events UK: The Impact of Section 28
From May 1988 until 2003, Section 28 of the Local Government Act was in force. This legislation stated that a local authority “shall not intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality” or “promote the teaching in any maintained school of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship”. This law affected the whole of the UK, preventing organisations from promoting or teaching anything related to homosexuality.
Section 28 and Margaret Thatcher’s Involvement
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher championed section 28 during a time of significant debate about homosexuality. This was also around the same period when HIV/AIDS was first reported, and the decriminalisation of gay sex had only recently taken place.
A major influence on the act was a book called Jenny Lives with Eric and Martin, released in 1983, which aimed to provide information on diverse families for children. Thatcher and her government viewed this and similar materials as unruly. Thatcher once said:
“Children who need to be taught to respect traditional moral values are being taught that they have an inalienable right to be gay. All of those children are being cheated of a sound start in life.”
The law led to the closure of many support groups due to fears of breaching the act, creating a debilitating time for anyone who identified as anything but straight.
Protests by the Community
This legislation sparked mass protests by the LGBTQIA+ community, with people campaigning across the UK. Similar to today’s Pride Parades, these protests saw people marching and campaigning through the streets. Section 28 was finally repealed in Scotland in 2000 and the rest of the United Kingdom in 2003.
However, for nearly 25 years, people were not fully educated on LGBTQIA+ matters, and there was no fair representation of the gay community.
Section 28 Explained: Conclusion
Section 28 is a stark reminder of why Pride is so important. Pride events show true defiance against laws that oppressed the community and prevented children from learning about identity for too long. They both celebrate how far we’ve come since Section 28 and remind us of the importance of education and representation.
