Pride In Socialist Ideas

Thousands of people took to the streets last Saturday for London’s gay
Pride. The Socialist Party Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Group
and the youth group International Socialist Resistance (ISR) marched on the
parade and distributed leaflets that were part of a joint campaign against
homophobic bullying.

John Cahill, Sheffield Socialist Party

Although some gains have been won by LGBT people, including the
decriminalisation of homosexuality and the scrapping of the anti-gay Section
28 legislation, there is still a long way to go.

Many students still suffer from homophobic bullying in their schools. A
GALLOP survey (1998) of lesbian, gay and bisexual youth put the figure for
repeated verbal abuse at 54% and physical abuse at 35%. Religious-run schools
and other organisations such as charities are still legally allowed to
discriminate against LGBT teachers and other workers.

We put forward the socialist position that lays the blame for the prejudice
and discrimination experienced by LGBT people at the door of capitalism. Under
the current profit system various minorities are scapegoated to divide the
working class and provide a diversion from the social and economic problems
that are caused by capitalism. We argue for a democratic socialist society as
the only alternative to the poverty and discrimination caused by the
capitalist system.

The Socialist Party (SP) had the only socialist banner on the parade; the
SP and ISR leaflets and petitions received an overwhelmingly positive response
on the parade and at the rally in Trafalgar Square. Groups of students from
around the country eagerly discussed the need to develop a campaign against
homophobic bullying in their own schools and colleges.

This response was reflected in 49 sales of the socialist and £77.17
fighting fund. Manny from East London raised £32.70, David from Sheffield and
Vanja, a new member in East London, both sold five papers each.