Thompsons Solicitors are very proud to be an official sponsor of Dundee Pride 2018. This is the first year Dundee will hold a Pride march through the city centre. The event is which is expected to attract around 5,000 visitors. The parade will commence at City Square and proceed around the city centre before returning to City Square again for the main event and entertainment. Thompsons stall will be situated at the Pride festival, along with a number of other local businesses.
The history of Pride is to celebrate LGBT+ individuals and their history. Pride events are usually held in the month of June as this has been declared LGBT Pride Month to commemorate the Stonewall Riots of 1969. The riots were a serious of spontaneous demonstrations by members of the LGBT community against police raids which took place at a gay bar and tavern in Greenwich Village in New York. The riots are considered to be an important event in leading to the gay liberation movement.
The first Pride rally in the UK was held in London with 1000 people marching from Trafalga Square to Hyde Park. Today, across the summer of 2018, Pride events have been held in all major towns and cities across Scotland recognising thousands of LGBT+ people and their supporters.
While Pride is a celebration of the LGBT community and their history, the marches are also held to call for recognition of gay rights and equality for all, irrespective of sexual orientation. Since the turn of the 21st century, there has been increasing support for LGBT+ rights, including the armed forces removing their ban on LGBT individuals serving opening in 2000; equalising the age of consent in 2001; providing legal recognition to transgender people by allowing them to legally change their gender in 2005; allowing same-sex couples to enter into civil partnerships in 2005; adoption rights being provided for same-sex couples in England and Wales in 2005 with Scotland following in 2009; and legalising same-sex marriage in Scotland, England and Wales in 2014.
Significant progress has been made in advancing equality however there is still a long way to go to eradicate discrimination and harassment of the LGBT+ community and their allies.
Thompsons Solicitors have a long history of providing advice and assistance to those who have been discriminated against during the course of their employment, including championing the rights of the LGBT+ community. Those who identify as LGBT are afforded a degree of legal protection from discrimination and harassment under the Equality Act 2010. As specialist employment solicitors, we are able to assist those who have been discriminated against due to their sexual orientation.
No employee should have to face discrimination and harassment during the course of their employment, irrespective of sexual orientation, which is why events such as Pride are essential in highlighting the work which still needs to be done to create a society free of discrimination.
If you find yourself at Pride in Dundee this weekend, come say hello to our friendly representatives at our stall!
Blog by Eilish Lindsay, Dundee Solicitor
