Republican News · Thursday 19 June 1997

[An Phoblacht]

Pride `97 is biggest yet

By Eoin O'Broin

Belfast's 7th Lesbian and Gay Pride Festival takes place this week, as a range of venues host what has been tipped to be the city's best ever Pride week. Running from 15 to 22 June, the festival is the largest ever seen in Belfast.

Speaking at the launch at the Old Museum Arts Centre on Sunday 15 June, Pride Organiser Adrian McCracken stressed the importance of Pride ``as a celebration of the vitality of the lesbian and gay community in Belfast.''.

Fifteen events will be held in a variety of venues throughout the city. Highlights include the Irish language event with poet Cathal O'Searcaigh and Dublin based trad band, Kila, a range of cultural and social events and of course the infamous dander through Belfast city centre on Saturday 21 June.

Pride spokesperson Catherine Couvert told An Phoblacht that ``this year's theme is `celebrating sexual diversity' and we're trying to get the message across that Pride is for everyone, whether you're lesbian, gay, bisexual or straight, it doesn't matter. Pride is about recognising that there is a diversity of lifestyle choices and that all people should be respected not irrespective of that choice but because of it''.

Coinciding with this year's Pride festival, The Rainbow Project, a community group specialising in gay mens health issues, launched the results of a major study into the prevalence of drug use in the gay community. The research indicated that gay men are more likely to use both legal and illegal drugs when compared with the general population''.

Aidan Vaughan, chairperson of the Rainbow Project told An Phoblacht, ``This research sends a clear message to health professionals. It is without doubt that the impact of discrimination and prejudice on gay men leads to low self esteem and consequently produces a higher prevalence of drug use. Health professionals need to be aware of this and target the specific needs of gay male drug users in a language that is accessible and non-prejudicial''.


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