Politics, pride and equality!

Traditionally, women in Britain have been more likely to vote for the Conservative Party, while men have been more likely to vote Labour. While this gender difference has gradually narrowed over time, the 2017 election marked a complete reversal of this trend. I will explain the factors underlying this shift, why such gender differences exist, and what parties can do if they want to win votes.

This talk explores the history of “gay pride”, from the first Christopher Street Liberation Day in New York in 1970, which commemorated the 1969 Stonewall riots, to the spread of pride events around the world. Pride, as a political project of affirmation and uplift, remains an essential undertaking. However, I suggest that we might best analyse “gay pride” alongside its unwanted sibling, “gay shame”. This is one example of how we can arrive at a more critical engagement with the LGBT and queer past; one which goes beyond success stories and instead thinks about exclusions and continuities.