The season of gay Pride is well underway. Every year people in towns and cities up and down the country get together and celebrate being LGB or T.

Over the years as our rights have progressed, it is easy to believe that intolerance towards LGBT people has diminished if not almost disappeared.

I have been involved in writing Bent News over the past few months and though I love the versatility and ever revolving cycle of the news, some stories that I have covered have left me truly sickened.

Just some of the headlines have been:

Four year old murdered by religious leader for showing ‘gay behaviour’

Schoolboy on trial for murdering gay classmate

LGBT people are ‘social garbage’ say faith officials

The ‘It Gets Better’ campaign was launched in the wake of a number of teenage suicides in the US. Six young men took their own lives due to being unable to withstand the extreme homophobic bullying that they were facing.  

Since the launch and meteoric rise in popularity of this campaign, public opinion has swayed more and more to support LGBT people as opposed to attacking us. But, the attacks still happen, the bigotry is still there and the hatred is still passed along through the generations. That hatred may, at times, have become more subtle but that does not diminish its intent.

Leeds Pride is on the 7 August and is a day for everyone to celebrate who we are along with our friends, family and supporters of all sexuality. The colourful and flamboyant celebration is incredible and yet, the day for me, is tinged with sadness.

The sadness revolves around the people who cannot celebrate pride. People such as Ian Baynham, a 62 year old gay man whose was beaten to death by a group of teenagers for being gay. Or 18 year old Michael Causer, who was beaten to death near his home on Merseyside, for being gay and James Kerr aged 51, who was beaten to death by a 19 year old thug, for being gay.

Sadly, there are too many people who have been senselessly murdered by those filled with hate who are afraid of people who love.

Wherever you celebrate Pride 2011 enjoy it, have a fabulous day but please keep a small space in your hearts and minds for those who cannot be there.

Sarah Carmody

editor@gayleeds.com