The Pride Flag was raised at the Isle of Wight Ambulance Station yesterday (Wednesday) to mark Pride month and the start of Isle of Wight Pride.
Update: Pride postponed due to Yellow Weather Alert.
There’ll be celebrations taking place from Friday to Sunday in Ryde – see Sarah Ponsford’s article for more detail of what’s on and where.
Love: A gesture of hope to inspire and brighten all our futures
Councillor Karl Love, the deputy Chairman of the Isle of Wight council, attended the flag raising, and told News OnTheWight,
“When my partner David and I moved to our wonderful Island in 1992 we started a new journey together in life and were having the time of our lives. We would never have dared to raise a flag like this in our town, let alone indicate where we lived.
“For two years, I worked with our Island Youth Service and I owe a great deal to George Wheech and the youth work team. When I joined the NHS in 1994 I was literally the only visible out Gay Person working within it. Of course, there were others, mostly too frightened to put their heads above the parapet and be counted.
“So yesterday, it was wonderful to see so many people at the Pride flag raising within the NHS Trust and Ambulance Service, a gesture of hope to inspire and brighten all our futures.”
He went on to add,
“Of course, not everybody who is from our LGBT+ community would want to stand up and be counted in a public way and they don’t need to do this either if they simply want the quiet life. They are just as valued as everyone else.
“What really matters is that people are happy in their own skin, not fearful of hate and being able to live a full happy life in the way that they choose and want to live.”
Importance of the Pride Parade
Councillor Love went on to explain the importance of the Pride Parade that takes place this Saturday from midday.
“The Pride Parade is a celebration of our communities today and a remembrance of difficult times gone past. We recognise that a lot still needs to be achieved and the difficult feelings for some Island people.
“I remain concerned having read some of the extremist comments posted online just a few days ago to one local media item, misguided and misrepresented hatred towards members of our Island LGBT+ community.”
Harmony not hatred
He added,
“If we live together in harmony we achieve great things, but if we live in hatred, this consumes us and contaminates the environment we all live in.
“Living together on our Island, enriching all our community lives and contributing wonderfully to diversity, this is what Pride represents to me. Equality, inclusion, diversity and respect for one another and living a wonderful safe and supportive life.
“I hope the positive energy of Saturday’s Pride will bring many people together. I wish everyone a happy fantastic time remembering there is much to still be achieved locally and worldwide to win hearts and minds.”
Article edit
3.50pm 13th Jul 2023 – Update about Pride being postponed added
