Pride 2018 :Your views and thoughts

Mr.Frame

So people what did you think of Pride this year?

For starters I think the current parade route is ridiculous. It is off the beaten track,and the parade is effectively being shunted onto back streets away from the city centre.
I think it is important that Pride Parade is visible, the current route fails to chive that.

Not only that but I do think given the enormity of the parade now that streets should be closed for the hour or two it takes. What happened today was a stop start event to allow the Luas and traffic to continue on their way.

This resulted in sections of the parade being broken up leaving wide gaps between people and floats.

Smithfield was great I thought , with a great atmosphere and music.

To finish,controversially I thought the whole parade was far too commercial for my liking, It seems to me and others I spoke to, that they were there purely to claim some of that pink pound,which is sad.

Ten of Swords

Wasn't great tbh, we left early. Couldn't be bothered with it all this year. I saw much less pride and much more brand awareness, simple as that.

Qrt

I have still yet the gather the courage to go in, but from what I saw while being miserable at home, it was half corporate floats. I thought the Sky one was especially insulting, considering it's all the same company that controls so many of the toxic UK tabloids who try their best to demonise the non-cishet population.

wakka12

I thought it was fun! Really nice, inclusive event , lots of families and a big mix of people, great music, and I liked the route, I thought it was nice passing by all the cathedrals and the liberties is a very underrated nice historic area of the city, I also loved how anyone could just join in with the march! Had a lovely day in the sun

L1011

The route is awful, the starting area was too small (like three or four times too small) leading to marshalling problems getting groups together and with their vehicles if they had one, and it is getting to basically be an IT and finance industry recruitment parade with the level of corporate involvement.

Ethereal Cereal

I watched it from a spot at the start of the route on Stephens Green, god knows where it went after that, I lost it completely.

Float after float of IT Companies, Banks, social media companies, Many of who have ties countries such as Russia, Saudi Arabia etc

I would think its maybe the float price that kept them away, but no floats from LGBT charities, Samaritans, support groups, activist groups etc etc.

Def going to give it a miss next year.

L1011

I'm fairly certain community groups don't pay any entrance fees even with a float - actually renting the vehicle costs quite a bit.

Annasopra

Ethereal Cereal wrote: »

I watched it from a spot at the start of the route on Stephens Green, god knows where it went after that, I lost it completely.

Float after float of IT Companies, Banks, social media companies, Many of who have ties countries such as Russia, Saudi Arabia etc

I would think its maybe the float price that kept them away, but no floats from LGBT charities, Samaritans, support groups, activist groups etc etc.

Def going to give it a miss next year.

To be fair the following marched:


TENI
BeLonG To Youth
Bi+ Ireland
Radical Queers Resist
LGBT Ireland
Abortion Rights Campaign
We Are Church Ireland
Dublin Lesbian Line
Amnesty International Ireland
LGBT Pavee
Outhouse
HIV Ireland and Positive Now
LINC
INTO LGBT Group
Union of Students in Ireland
USI – 5 IADT QSA (LGBTQ+Society)
DCU LGBTA
Trinity College Dublin Q Soc
CIT LGBT* Society
TCD Students’ Union
DIT LGBTQ Society
Irish Congress of Trade Unions

wakka12

Did UCD lgbt society not march?

Goodshape

Walked with the parade from St Patricks to the Quays and must have gotten lucky as there were no big-business floats around then, just a lot of happy people. This was pretty early I guess, maybe 14:30, so probably towards the start of the parade.

I actually managed to catch the (presumably) tail-end a couple hours later when I was heading up to Camden Street, and that was all the advertising and floats – with Radical Queers Resist (I think) looking pretty small and forgotten in amongst the big Amazon and Google buses.


Aside from that I didn't really stick around for the festivities. Good buzz around town though.

gmisk

Mr.Frame wrote: »

So people what did you think of Pride this year?

For starters I think the current parade route is ridiculous. It is off the beaten track,and the parade is effectively being shunted onto back streets away from the city centre.
I think it is important that Pride Parade is visible, the current route fails to chive that.

Not only that but I do think given the enormity of the parade now that streets should be closed for the hour or two it takes. What happened today was a stop start event to allow the Luas and traffic to continue on their way.

This resulted in sections of the parade being broken up leaving wide gaps between people and floats.

Smithfield was great I thought , with a great atmosphere and music.

To finish,controversially I thought the whole parade was far too commercial for my liking, It seems to me and others I spoke to, that they were there purely to claim some of that pink pound,which is sad.

I think it's fairly sad to see Tesco leading the parade....tbh. The general commercialisation is rather sad but I guess it is a by product of the sheer numbers who now go, the cost of putting it on and the fact business think its good for their public image which I suppose should be a positive thing etc.

I enjoyed the square i stayed for most of the speeches etc which I enjoyed. Mary MC aleese was excellent. It was well policed and had a nice atmosphere with a lot of families and smiling faces. I also saw Simon Harris in the crowd chatting and shaking hands.

The lack of alcohol in the square was a tad bizarre... Until we realised you could buy beers in chopped so we did hurrah. I left about 6 and headed home to walk the dog. I like to head home before the drunken madness these days.

Mr.Frame

gmisk wrote: »

I think it's fairly sad to see Tesco leading the parade....tbh. The general commercialisation is rather sad but I guess it is a by product of the sheer numbers who now go, the cost of putting it on and the fact business think its good for their public image which I suppose should be a positive thing etc.

I enjoyed the square i stayed for most of the speeches etc which I enjoyed. Mary MC aleese was excellent. It was well policed and had a nice atmosphere with a lot of families and smiling faces. I also saw Simon Harris in the crowd chatting and shaking hands.

The lack of alcohol in the square was a tad bizarre... Until we realised you could buy beers in chopped so we did hurrah. I left about 6 and headed home to walk the dog. I like to head home before the drunken madness these days.

It is and was sad to see it so commercialized.Its a cheap way for these companies to get publicity and advertise.
If they want to sponsor LGBT perhaps it would be a better idea if they sponsored events prior to the parade (pride month/week) that way it would show they are doing something for the betterment of LGBT groups.

Pride is about community and visibility,I think the organisers need to look at how it is being taken over by multi nationals, many of whom were nowhere to be seen pre 2015 mar ref.

EdgeCase

They'd really want to be careful it's not just turned into another "Hallmark holiday." Don't be flattered by companies jumping on the bandwagon as it's just seen as a way of doing on-trend CSR.

Ten of Swords

WWN seems to have hit the nail on the head here, not like them to do a serious piece for a change

Waterford Whispers

Boards swear filter causes the link to open incorrectly. Replace the **** in the URL with the F word :eek: to read the article.

:pac:

JackTaylorFan

Ten of Swords wrote: »

Boards swear filter causes the link to open incorrectly. Replace the **** in the URL with the F word :eek: to read the article.

:pac:

Flip didn't work though... :pac:

Nokia6230i

Why is the Pride Parade so commercialised?

Simple; costs & funding; there are various levels of sponsorship levels such as bronze-silver-gold etc.

Am unsure if anything in terms of profit goes to BeLongTo etc. but I'd expect it to be so; obviously there is the cost of running the actual Pride Festival incl. hiring of venues for speeches, debates, discussions etc. so it's not all about funding Pride Parade.

Am unsure when the next Dublin Pride A.G.M. is but I'd hope they open their accounts from 2017s Festival.

cgcsb

Loved it. Smithfield is a great finishing point. Not handy for south siders but there you go. The army band was at the front which was fantastic to see.

jobbridge4life

I missed Pride in Dublin this year, was at Barcelona Pride, but it seems the issues are largely the same as last year.

Moving the parade back to the main thorough fairs has got to be the priority. I'd like to see it go down O'Connell St, Westmoreland Street, Dame Street and then make its way to Smithfield for a substantial pride village.

I'm not opposed to having corporate floats, but I think they should be balanced with community floats, with the latter taking priority.

baby and crumble

jobbridge4life wrote: »

I'm not opposed to having corporate floats, but I think they should be balanced with community floats, with the latter taking priority.

This year the parade was organised in 'blocks' each of which had a few corporate floats and a few community floats. It was very much mixed up, with big businesses next to small groups of 5-10 people.

Mr.Frame

baby and crumble wrote: »

This year the parade was organised in 'blocks' each of which had a few corporate floats and a few community floats. It was very much mixed up, with big businesses next to small groups of 5-10 people.

It was terrible. The organizers need to hold firm with Dub City Council and demand a parade through the city not down back streets,
They should also demand that the streets be closed for the 2 hrs or so to let the parade pass.
This effort of letting some people cross a junction , then stopping the parade to allow cars and Luas to pass , it not on.
It lead to the parade being split up in many parts.

St Patricks Day parade roads are closed for a long time and thats just the way it is .
The same must happen for Pride Parade given the numbers and value it adds to the local economy

L1011

The mixing up clearly fell apart with repeated cases of groups having to overtake or held back to allow someone to overtake...


The organisation this year was the worst I have ever seen by some margin. If DCC aren't providing the space for that size of parade, refuse entries and blame DCC.

Annasopra

L1011 wrote: »

The mixing up clearly fell apart with repeated cases of groups having to overtake or held back to allow someone to overtake...


The organisation this year was the worst I have ever seen by some margin. If DCC aren't providing the space for that size of parade, refuse entries and blame DCC.

The sequencing of groups was a disaster alright

baby and crumble

Pride will never shut down the city like Paddy’s Day.

Paddy’s Day parade takes place on a national holiday. In general businesses aren’t open. There’s simply no feasible way to have a parade as big as Pride, if it’s not held on a bank holiday, to take the same route as the Paddy’s Day parade. It’d be dangerous, because Pride is so big now.

L1011

Plenty of other cities of similar or bigger scale tolerate more traffic/transport disruption from their Pride parades. Can't remember having to stop for traffic in Belfast, although they do specialise in parades up there!

EdgeCase

Well remember: it’s a city where the most important thing is to drive traffic through all the nicest bits, like straight down the middle of the Phoenix Park, under Christ Church cathedral, and where doing 70km/h in a van through narrow, pedestrian laden streets like Stoneybatter is totally acceptable and normal and where pedestrian lights are placed at random junctions but other junctions on the same route are a game of chicken.

An_Toirpin

It is not very creative, but on the other it is one expression of culture in a rather culturally depauperate city (Dublin).

seanrambo87

Pride? Do you not have the same rights afforded to you? What more do you want? I don't rub my heterosexuality in your face why rub your persuasion in mine? Honest question, who gives a ****? I expect another ban here but I'm sick of you getting a platform for a non issue

Ten of Swords

seanrambo87 wrote: »

Pride? Do you not have the same rights afforded to you?

Most, not all. And how were these rights were achieved? Staying silent and putting up with the hateful bile that was so prevalent in this country a few years ago?

If you don't like teh gheys having a forum of our own then piss off to any of the other hundreds of fora on this site and wow them with your stellar contributions instead of us.

seanrambo87

Ten of Swords wrote:

If you don't like teh gheys having a forum of our own then piss off to any of the other hundreds of fora on this site and wow them with your stellar contributions.

I have absolutely no problems with gay or lesbian people, I actually champion my brothers and sisters but I feel it's been rammed down our throats as if every heterosexual person has some sort of chip on their shoulder, we don't, and I don't feel the need to ram my sexuality in your face, I accept you, most right thinking people do,

An_Toirpin

n Ten of Swords wrote: »

seanrambo87 wrote: »

Pride? Do you not have the same rights afforded to you?

Most, not all.  And how were these rights were achieved?  Staying silent and putting up with the hateful bile that was so prevalent in this country a few years ago?

If you don't like teh gheys having a forum of our own then piss off to any of the other hundreds of fora on this site and wow them with your stellar contributions instead of us.

Is there a single young  male in the country who gos out on weekends who hasnt had abuse and punches thrown at them. All of my straight male friends were, me too. I dont want to downplay the horrific emotional effect of homophobia on some homosexual men and women but I think we lack the social context sometimes and you get an unjustified social exceptionalism.

On rights. Gays have every single right that everyone else is afforded. If they didnt they would have been forced on the Gov by international courts.

An_Toirpin

Ten of Swords wrote: »

seanrambo87 wrote: »

Pride? Do you not have the same rights afforded to you?

Most, not all.  And how were these rights were achieved?  Staying silent and putting up with the hateful bile that was so prevalent in this country a few years ago?

I think anyone who implies there is less hate now then a few years ago does not have their ear to the ground.