This weekend, city streets were due to welcome thousands of people for the annual Pride Edinburgh march.
The event was due to celebrate 25 years since the first Scottish Pride in 1995 but, while the march won’t proceed quite as planned, you can still show your support for Edinburgh’s LGBT+ community online.
This morning there is a virtual Pride breakfast which has been organised by LGBT Health and Wellbeing. The family-friendly event will feature special guests and live music.
An online drag queen story hour for all the family will take place with Aida H Dee, as well as a family friendly rave in the afternoon. Showing solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, the virtual event will also aim to highlight and celebrate the city’s BAME community, including those who identify as LGBT+.
Our LGBT+ Council colleague network, STRIDE, said: “For decades, LGBT+ people and Black and Minority Ethnic people have shared experiences of police brutality and discrimination.
The fight for equal rights is still very much ongoing, especially for Black and Minority Ethnic people, and we stand alongside their community as we always have and always will. There is no place for inequality or injustice in our society.”
As an inclusive employer and to demonstrate our support, we’ll be flying the rainbow and transgender Pride flags from the City Chambers for the whole weekend.
Council Leader Adam McVey said: “Edinburgh will look slightly less colourful this weekend without the show-stopping banners, t-shirts and celebrations which usually take centre stage at Pride.
“I’m sorry to everyone who had planned to take part and can’t. I’d like to thank the organisers for prioritising health and safety by moving online and thank those focusing their efforts on racial equality as part of Pride.
“Next year I hope we can celebrate bigger than ever. Edinburgh is a City that all of us should take pride in.”
Cammy Day, Depute Leader, added: “I’m proud that we’re supporting our LGBT+ colleagues and citizens by flying the rainbow and transgender flags above the City Chambers once again, particularly in this 25th anniversary year.
“These flags are an important symbol of love and inclusion, and fly against all forms of discrimination, intolerance, injustice or prejudice in our incredible, diverse City.”
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