Pride is a joke

Hamilton Hall use to always donate quite a lot to Bourne Pride financially and then after some years, they stopped asking and - to be honest - I didn't notice as I am busy 24/7/12 and it was some years before I noticed they had stopped asking.

This year has been no exception and now - let me get this straight for you.

Bournemouth has for the LGBT world :- 2 bars - 1 sauna - I men only hotel ( Hamilton Hall.)

Imagine you are planning a Pride Event for the LGBT crowd ( I do not call it a community as it is not )

FIRST THING ON THE MENU:-

CONTACT ALL THE LGBT VENUES / BUSINESS'S IN THE AREA - and even pop in and see them and have a chat about what they can offer Pride.

What you DO NOT DO is COMPLETELY ignore the local gay venues THAT YOU RELY ON FOR FINANCES and to bring people into the town to support your Pride event. Yet it seems Hamilton Hall - which is the longest established gay venue in town - 23 years in all and all under the same ownership and management - is ignored by the Pride Committee and I do wonder - ' Is this just incompetence - Is this just ignorance - Is this just fear - Is this just stupidity or is this just someone not doing their job properly ?

It reeks of ignorance of other gay venues, and I do hope it is nothing more deep rooted, like jealousy or resentment.

Plus Pride has lost its way. It no longer fights for human rights of LGBT, it is just an excuse to party, to celebrate, to cruise and to get drunk. Where is the solidarity with those in less welcoming countries where LGBT are hounded and prosecuted - even murdered, just for being LGBT -

Where is our combined Pride message of support - where are we demanding action - and where do we show some kind of support and understanding for others less fortunate than we are here in the UK ?

Even the American LGBT are under serious attack and if that makes its way over the pond to the UK, we had all better watch out. What is happening in the USA is mega frightening. Meanwhile, many cruise blindly along that avenue of sex and parties and ignore the world and what is going on with the reduction of LGBT rights in many countries and the hounding of people just for being different. and if various Pride Committee's choose to ignore that and just put on a party - a celebration only - then that is fine, it just lets down the millions of gay men and women who need recognition and help and where Prides it would appear - do not come through for them at all.

So after the smoke has cleared - do I contact the Bourne Pride Committee and ask why we are being ignored ? Do I approach and see what can be done to rectify this ?

I am NOT going to offer to help organise as I have done more than my fair share of being on committees, charity boards - for free and as a volunteer - decades worth and even at Hammy Hall I donate so much of my time and money so I do not feel I need to help with Bourne Pride.

I appreciate many are amateurs and not very professional in business, but when dealing IN business, I expect a competent and thorough service that sadly is grossly missing from big business. Here I am just ' winging it' and doing a far better job than most.

John Bellamy

Good Morning John,

Thank you for the weekly newsletter and I really look forward to reading all your interesting articles, comments and news. I pass on to many of the guys in our social and support group who I know would be interested.

Two of our boys recently had a few days with you at Hamilton Hall Richard and Dave and they really enjoyed their stay with you.

I was particularly interested in your comments about Bournemouth Pride and no contact with the committee! We have had a similar experience too as Southend Pride is happening this coming Saturday the 15th in Southend on Sea with a march and local events culminating in a party in the local park in the centre of the city. Now considering GEMS (Gay Essex Men's Social Group) has been meeting across south Essex since 1997 and still does, That is 26 years of continual social and support events in the area and yet no one has reached out to us regarding the Pride event. I agree with you that why should I make contact as I do not need them either but it is very strange that our group, which is well advertised and has a membership of around 100 guys, has no involvement. The idea of a 'gay community' left me many years ago and this just proves it for me!

Sorry for the rant but just wanted to share with you.

All the best John,

Love and hugs,

name withheld

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John: I am on the committee of a large gay group and I have to agree with you, it is so hard doing anything for the gay crowd and it is no wonder you are ticked off with Bourne Pride ignoring your venue. As you say, there are only a few gay venues and I see you are Number One in Google, so not hard to find. I was warned decades ago that the gay community was a farce, a joke and over the years I have sadly to agree. It is not a safe place at all. It is not a supportive place either unless your face cock and income fits a criteria that impresses. Roger

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John. The gay community is shit. Why is it now being taken over by trans. They were not there fighting with us to get the equality the LGB world fought for all those years ago - and now they think they can jump on our rights and demand equality using the LGB world and I don't get it. As most trans are not gay, why are they even considered part of the LGB world. Why do gay men accept trans as 99% of gay men are not wanting to be women - and why is trans such a big thing these days ?

I really just don't get why trans have connected with LGB - as the trans world is a very separate entity to the rest of us who simply - don't get it and how gay men are now pushed into the background and taken for granted and it is all about trans this and trans that. Gay men did the fighting, gay men created and started Gay Pride as a political statement and it has now been so watered down and taken over by lesbians and trans that gay men are now feeling pushed out of the community THEY helped bring into being.

M.

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John, went to Brighton Pride. Had a great time. Just surprised how many lesbians there are. Seems there are more of them than us men. Lesbians and gay men have little in common and as for the amount of trans at BP, I had no idea so many people were choosing their sexual identity outside of LGB & of course straight. Thank God I am simply just a gay man into men.

Ronnie

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I use to always attend Pride when it was hosted just in London. It was great back then. Sadly it has been diluted since so many towns offer their own attempts - and none have a political message and none seem interested in the fight so many around the world struggle with just for being LGBT. Are the UK LGBT complacent ?

Jan

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It needs people like you John to shake and wake people up. The gay scene is vacuous, shallow, without much depth, and so many queens are inside out as all you get is all you see and there is no real depth to so many people... its all about cock and bum and fucking and sex and looking good and being liked and ..... actually being a half decent person and helping others doesn't even come into many peoples heads. Love you John for all you do.

Mitch

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