'While Pride is a celebration, it also serves as a protest' says chairman as Belper event attracts 11,000 people

The event celebrated people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, skin colours, ethnicities, and disabilities—both visible and invisible.

A colourful Strutt Parade and a fun dog show with more than 100 competing canines were among the highlights of the weekend.

Sarah Barley-McMullen, who chairs Pride in Belper, said: “The diversity within our town was beautifully showcased, creating an environment where everyone felt seen and valued.

"Pride in Belper offered a powerful platform for affirming LGBTQ+ identities, making it clear that everyone deserves to be seen, heard, and respected. True normalisation can only occur in more inclusive and safer environments for everyone. This year’s event was pivotal for breaking down barriers, confronting prejudices, and promoting a culture of inclusivity.

"While Pride is a celebration, it also serves as a protest, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community, particularly the trans community. This year’s event honoured the history of LGBTQ+ rights activism and underscored the work still needed to achieve equality. By maintaining the spirit of protest, we focused on advocating for those whose voices might still be silenced.

“People travelled from across the UK and Europe to attend, filling our town with joy and solidarity. The message was clear: while sexuality is not a choice, hate is. Let’s continue to choose love, inclusion, and unity as we move forward, stronger together.”

Leading up to and during Pride, Belper experienced disturbing incidents of homophobia and transphobia. Sarah said: “There was an unpleasant homophobic incident at the beginning of the week, where graffiti was sprayed on the Belper Library windows, suggesting that an inclusive intergenerational story time event should not go ahead because we were programming children etc. Similar statements were also shouted at people from car windows and put on social media on Saturday.

"Some claims linked the exposure of children to diverse identities with paedophilia. It is essential to clarify that there is no evidence academically connecting paedophilia with any sexual orientation. Such claims are baseless and perpetuate harmful stereotypes. The Royal College of Psychiatrists has clarified that paedophilia is a mental health disorder not related to any sexual orientation.”

Local businesses in the town that had decorated their windows for Pride were also targeted with anti trans stickers the same night as the graffiti.

Sarah said: "These groups have made harmful assertions about trans women posing a threat to cis women’s safety and being linked to paedophilia. Again, these claims are unsupported by evidence and ignore the reality of sex and gender dysphoria. Studies, including those from the Equality and Human Rights Commission, find no link between trans inclusion in spaces like women’s bathrooms and increased risk to cisgender women.

“In light of these incidents, it’s crucial to address the increasing polarisation and far-right politics infiltrating our communities. We must encourage people to approach fears and disagreement through critical discussion, not hate-filled actions and baseless accusations.”