Leeds Alternative Pride 2024

leeds alternative pride! a free, accessible, alternative pride event with drag performances, music, speeches, poetry, a parade and vegan picnic! meet at park square in leeds on the 13th of july at 14:00 for an all day event. a short parade (taking approximately 20+ minutes) around the city centre will leave at 14:45 and meet back at the park for more performances and a vegan picnic!

no corporations! many queer people are tired of pinkwashing corporations that are exploiting workers, the environment and animals. last year Leeds official pride was sponsored by many companies including sainsbury's and asda but most shocking of all was the arms company BAE systems- Europe's largest weapons company. war is horrific everywhere but BAE used Leeds pride to pinkwash their company when they sell weapons to Saudi Arabia and Qatar (amongst other countries) where it is illegal to be gay. there will be no sponsors at this event

no cops! it wasn't long ago that cops were arresting people in the UK for being gay. the police have never existed to protect us but to protect the ruling class' capitalist imperialist white supremacist cisheteropatriarchy. cops enforce unnecessary and oppressive laws on all members of the public including the lgbtqia2s+ alphabet mafia- especially those with intersecting marginalised identities- and our allies. pride was born during the 1969 stonewall riots in new york city, fighting back against violent cops who raided the stonewall inn and attacked and arrested LGBT patrons. they are not welcome at pride. pride is a celebration of our community and pride is a protest

accessible event! people want to celebrate the LGBTQIA2S+ community in lots of different ways, but there should be a way for us all to celebrate together. in order to make this event accessible, people will be asked to wear masks (unless eating, drinking or performing), bring hand sanitiser and practice social distancing outside of the groups you attend with. this is because there are many people who cannot attend official or conventional pride celebrations because there are no covid safety practices and they are vulnerable or at high risk of complications or death if they get covid (or other contagious diseases).

in order to make the parade accessible for people with mobility needs, the parade will be shorter than the official leeds one (which is very long) and we will have the slowest people at the front of the group, so that no one gets left behind.

in addition to being a covid safety practice, social distancing will allow people who find crowded spaces difficult to be more comfortable. pride should be free from judgement, if you have any disability aids, whether they are hearing aids or ear plugs/noise cancelling headphones, or wheelchairs and other mobility aids you will be welcome and hopefully feel liberated and not self conscious to bring the equipment (or friends) that will make you feel safe and comfortable

vegan picnic: a plant based diet is the most environmentally conscious and ethical diet and is suitable for people of all beliefs (almost all vegan foods are kosher and halal). vegans believe in human and non human liberation andveganism is a belief which is inherently anti-oppression and therefore it makes sense for this event to be vegan. so please do not bring any non vegan foods out of respect for animals and other attendees.

respecting the environment: leave no trace! please put all rubbish in the bin (including chewing gum and cigarette butts, and if you need to smoke or vape please do this in a more secluded area) or if the bins are full take your rubbish home!

Host or Publisher alternative pride leeds