From Russia with love so long as you’re straight

SOMEONE shared a video on Facebook. It was in the aftermath of Pride in Brighton, one of the town’s biggest weekends of the year, which happens every August.

On the day itself, there are rainbow flags everywhere, and in the morning there is a parade of proud gay and lesbian police, gay and lesbian firefighters, paramedics, teachers, doctors, nurses, airline staff, the lot. Much of the town becomes a party zone, and people come great distances to join in. It is a weekend of dressing up, celebrating, popping the champagne corks. Like Pride everywhere, right?

I was wondering the purpose of this video on Facebook, especially as it had an awful, cheesy soundtrack accompanying it. That Pride is a joyful celebratory time is hardly a state secret; and what were those plaintive lyrics alluding to? “What if I could make us unified / What if we would open up the doors / What if we could help each other more / What if we all opened our arms / What if we came together as one?”