2007 Cornwall Gay PRIDE Beach Picnic a GREAT success
… Despite Cornwall police!

The weather was perfect for what is believed to be the 1st ‘open & out’ Gay PRIDE presence & community gathering for a beach picnic in Cornwall.

“We are delighted. It was everything we had envisaged, planned and hoped it would be.” said a spokesperson from the Cornwall Gay PRIDE beach picnic steering group.

Most people just chilled in the hot summer sun, body surfed or paddled in the sea. A few brave souls played volleyball. There was a real and genuine friendly community atmosphere. Lots of networking taking place. Men and women, previously strangers, were quite happily chatting with each other at the picnic.

This was a non-commercial, return to the real roots of original gay PRIDE. A simple aim of creating a gay presence and visibility for the gay community itself in Cornwall… achieved.

It had not been wanted for it to be, taken over by non-gay Cornish Authorities or organisations riding rough shod over the very gay people it was intended for. Organisations perceived as simply wanting to try to gain credibility and kudos by lip service to gay equality. In particular, it was expressed, the non-involvement of organisations like Cornwall police. Where there is still a known considerable severe local homophobic problem!

This was sadly emphasised by a slight shadow cast on what was otherwise a perfect fantastic beautiful sunny occasion.

Few people at the picnic were aware one of the Cornwall gay pride steering group arrested and detained for over 16 hours by Cornwall police. Their arrest took place several days prior to the picnic. The gay person arrested later released without charge, as they had done nothing wrong.

“There remains a serious problem in Cornwall regarding continuing negative homophobic attitudes within the authorities of Cornwall. In particular, Cornwall police attitudes towards members of the gay community. Cornwall police have grave difficulty accepting homosexuality was decriminalised 40 years ago and gay people ‘theoretically’ now have equality in law, even in a gay backwater like Cornwall” said one of the gay Pride steering group.

We did not want yet another Cornwall police incident involving gay people to overshadow the celebratory gay PRIDE occasion.

The entire Cornwall gay PRIDE steering group previously and unanimously had voted at three separate meetings, NOT to involve Cornwall police in the gay PRIDE picnic, simply to notify them it was taking place. This decision due to continuing problems of homophobic attitudes frequently experienced within the Cornwall gay community of Cornwall police force.

Unfortunately, there are those who constantly play down the real problem of homophobia, which still exists. The local Cornish media seldom report positively gay issues or continuing homophobic problems and incidents gay people still encounter in Cornwall from within Cornish institutions and authorities.

Due to isolation and poor reporting means, many gay people are blissfully unaware of the sad degree and frequency of homophobic incidents in Cornwall, which continue to take place despite positive changes in law by parliament.

Legal protection and equality for gay people by law means nothing if the authorities like Cornwall County Council and those within the Criminal Justice Services of Cornwall simply choose to blind eye and ignore them.

The decision not to involve the police in the Cornwall gay PRIDE picnic organisation now felt by the gay PRIDE steering group organisers to be entirely DOUBLY justified due to Cornwall police conduct & negative attitude towards gay people.

Well over one hundred people attended the gay picnic. Some having travelled in specifically from out of Cornwall for the day. The location of the gay picnic held at Hayle beach on the bank holiday weekend Saturday. The picnic located by the presence of a large Gay Rainbow flag fluttering high and proud in the gentle summer breeze over the golden sandy beach.

Even the beach day gay Rainbow flag had local Cornish gay history. The flag previously covered the coffin at the funeral of Cornish born ‘out’ gay man Andrew Roger Smith. Andy died as a result of HIV/AIDS in Cornwall in 1996. Andrew & his partner Malcolm had publicly fought gross Cornish institutional authority HIV and gay discrimination in Cornwall before Andy died.

Malcolm Lidbury, a Cornwall gay PRIDE steering group member and the former life partner of Andy said, “Andy would have loved the gay beach picnic and he was certainly there in spirit”

Many who attended the picnic expressed the hope the steering group would organise a similar successful gathering next year.

The Cornwall gay PRIDE steering group will continue to run diverse social community evenings & events throughout the year to encourage a greater sense of gay community and greater awareness of the continuing need for genuine progress in real gay equality in Cornwall.