Dublin Pride celebrates its 50th anniversary today, with over 400 LGBT youth leading the parade as Grand Marshal for this year’s parade.
The parade will begin at 12pm on O’Connell Street before passing Liberty Hall, crossing the Liffey and finishing up at the Pride Village in Merrion Square.
A free festival of LGBT community and culture will follow in Merrion Square Park.
Members of youth organisation BelongTo have been chosen as this year’s Grand Marshal for the parade.
This is happening to the backdrop of growing hate, both in person and online, towards the queer community.
BelongTo CEO Moninne Griffith said while things have improved for LGBT people in recent years, there has been a noticeable backslide more recently.
“In 2015 we won the right to walk down the aisle – but today we’re sometimes afraid to walk down the street holding our partners’ hands,” she said.
“We’ve still a long way to go.”
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A Pride event in Newtownmountkennedy, Co Wicklow, was recently postponed following claims Wicklow Pride members were harassed and threatened with protests.
She noted that it’s particularly important that political leaders in Government express their support for the queer community.
“In recent elections, local elections and European level, there are some people who voice very problematic views about LGBT people,” she said.
“We can’t take it for granted that we have support across the broad in our parliament.”
Pride in Dublin
BelongTo member Sinead Keane noted that the annual Pride parade is a space to feel “visible and accepted” - particularly among LGBT youth.
“For many of them it’s going to be the first time they've ever marched in the Pride parade,” she said.
“For them to be among a community of people who have similar interests and values and similar life experiences
“It means so much for them to be able to feel safe for a day in our city and to be together and have some fun.”
Other events taking place in Dublin this weekend include the Mother Pride Block Party at Collins Barracks and a Queer Dublin Waking Tour starting from Crown Alley on Sunday.
