August 5 marks the annual Leeds Pride event, with similar events taking place throughout the UK in the upcoming weeks.
The history of Pride
Pride is the positive stance against discrimination and violence towards members of the LGBT+ community and promotes equal rights and aims to increase their visibility as a social group, build a community, and celebrate sexual diversity and gender variance.
Pride has lent its name to LGBT+-themed organizations, institutes, foundations, book titles and periodical.
Pride events are usually held during LGBT+ Pride Month, or other periods which commemorate a turning point in a country's LGBT+ history.
Pride events usually include parades, marches, rallies, commemorations, community days, dance parties, and large festivals, such as the Sydney Mardi Gras which lasts for several weeks.
Common symbols of pride are the rainbow or pride flag.
The month of June was chosen for LGBT+ Pride Month to commemorate the Stonewall riots, which occurred at the end of June 1969.
The Stonewall riots were triggered by police harassment at the Stonewall Inn, a bar catering to the LGBT+ community, where the bar's patrons decided to fight back.
As a result, many pride events are now held during this month to recognise the impact the LGBT+ community have had, and continue to have, throughout the world.
London’s first Pride event took place on July 1 1972 and by 2007, which coincided with the 35th annual London Pride parade, the event had swelled to one of the largest Pride celebrations in the world.
Leeds Pride is an annual celebration held in the city centre and has been taking place since 2006.
With over 40,000 people attending each year, the number of people in attendance continues to grow.
The next Leeds Pride will take place on August 5 2018 and will include a colourful parade and live entertainment.
The Leeds Pride 2018 parade is expected to begin in Millennium Square at 2pm.
There will be more than 110 floats setting off along the route, finishing on Lower Briggate with a huge party and hours of entertainment planned.
Pride events such as Leeds Pride are now more important than ever and people taking part in the event are asking for everyone across Leeds to come and celebrate, not only for a show of solidarity for LGBT+ people in Leeds, but across the world.