“Pride is still protest”, says Úna Dunphy of People Before Profit. “It is still about tackling unjust systems, and fighting for equality. Yes, we have thankfully moved on from Stonewall in 1969, which was the catalyst, but we must not get complacent about the central message of Pride, that of the social & political battle for rights, many won following decades of protest, by people who took to the streets to gain them. However, as long as haters keep attacking these rights, the campaign continues.
There are rainbow crossings across the world that act as a tourist attraction and landmarks in their cities. People Before Profit Waterford have written to Waterford Council calling for a permanent Pride Crossing at the Mall, to have a constant show of solidarity with our LGBTQ citizens, along with a clear message that we as a City will not tolerate hate and displays of homophobia from any quarter.
Politicians need to be proactive on this topic. Claiming that it is not political misses the point, and misses the opportunity to call out those who think that any attack on minority groups in Waterford will go without a robust reaction.
We have seen Pride virtually taken over recently by commercial entities, and while it’s great to see the rights of LGBTQ upheld as mainstream, they are not so yet for all, and still come under attack. Therefore, we need to acknowledge that Pride is still protest, it is still a campaign, and any attempts to throw us back into dark times must be eradicated by the strongest displays of solidarity.
Each time a hateful message appears, fear is instilled in children about coming out. This can only be extinguished by our leaders emphatically denouncing such attacks in words and actions. A Pride Crossing across one of the city’s main thoroughfares would address this adequately.
We ask everyone to support the petition calling for the Pride Crossing.