Pride and prejudice Anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment ‘worst in recent memory’

ONE of the founding directors of Bristol Pride says the current feeling towards LGBTQ+ people is ‘the worst’ he has known in his 17 years of organising the event.

- Ellie KENDALL

Daryn Carter told the Post the community was being blamed for society's shortcomings.

“Even in the very first years of trying to make Pride happen back in 2009, this year feels like the hardest and toughest year ever,” he said.

“We've had many years of the LGBTQ+ community, and especially the trans community, being used as a bit of a political football and, unfortunately, what this does is throw a scapegoat or enemy out of a minority community, targeted by the media and far-right politics, to blame for everything that’s going on in the country at the moment.

“Trans people aren’t the reason that there’s been years of underfunding in social services, and gay people aren’t the reason why there are potholes in the road. But that’s what we see online. It’s as silly as that - we've kind of been blamed for absolutely everything that’s wrong with the country.