Description:
Brighton Lesbian and Gay Pride, 15-25 May 1992, was organised by a small group of people under the name of Pink Parasol. In the run up to the event they produced a leaflet about their plans for Pride, which included the unveiling of a Lesbian & Gay Pride Memorial in the Old Steine. The leaflet announced the unveiling on Sunday 17 May 1992, and made it sound very much like it was a done deal with the council.
"Brighton Council has pledged a central site on the Old Steine and has agreed to install and maintain the memorial. The granite slabs from which it is to be made are ready for work to begin. The design and wording has been consulted on and approved.
"The memorial is a celebration of our Pride over the last quarter of a century. It is dedicated to the lives of ordinary lesbians and gay men who preceded us, to ourselves, and to the future equality of those who will follow us in this life".
When a group of us gathered to attend the unveiling, we were surprised so see there was only a chalk outline of the memorial drawn on the ground, with the design beautifully brought to life with flowers.
According to a news report in Capital Gay by Richard Smith, the council rejected the proposal very late in the day. One of the objections raised was that the Pride memorial was too close to the existing war memorial. Sadly the Pride Memorial was never realised in anything more than flowers.
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Pride memorial unveiling
Lesbian and gay Pride memorial
Pride memorial
Article Capital Gay issue 573: 4 December 1992
