“Pride for me means really being yourself”
By Hayden Moore
TYPICALLY over this weekend in June, upwards of 100,000 people pour into the streets of Dublin City Centre for the Dublin LGBTQ+ Pride Parade.
But this year, with it difficult to have such a large number of people marching together on the streets due to social distancing guidelines, the decision was made to have a Digital Pride Parade instead.
Jamie Kenny of Dublin Parade handing out Pride Guides on Friday
Clondalkin native Jamie Kenny works with Dublin Pride and he spoke this week on Local Voices ahead of the weekend of celebration.
Speaking about what Pride means to him, Jamie mentioned that he used to attend LGBTI+ youth service BeLong To - with the CEO, Moninne Griffith, also appearing on the podcast.
“Pride for me means really being yourself,” says Jamie.
“I’ve always said that as a BeLong To baby, as I was back in the day, my favourite part of the day is seeing the various youth groups come out.
“I remember my first Pride with BeLong To, as I said there was about 10 of us, and now you have hundreds of young people lining the streets and they don’t have to feel ashamed and they don’t have to feel that they have to hide.
“You have people all over the streets cheering them on and it’s real validation and solidarity.
“It may sound cheesy, but they’re the future leaders so if they’re seeing the good nature and spirit of the Irish people then that will carry through.”
With the theme for the 2020 Dublin Pride Parade being ‘In This Together’, the team have made all frontline workers the grand marshals of the parade.
A virtual parade has been built for this Sunday and it will include a mix of pre-recorded and live segments, with community groups being asked to send in their videos.
The broadcast starts at 2pm on Sunday HERE.
Following the parade, the Dublin Pride Concert will kick off at 7pm and be streamed directly into people’s homes from The Mansion House and The George – and rumour has it Kodaline will be making an appearance.
To listen to the full extended interview with Jamie Kenny of Dublin Pride and hear from the CEO of BeLong To, Moninne Griffith, click HERE.
