Why Pride remains at the heart of Brighton and Hove's identity

A legacy of freedom and self-expression

Brighton and Hove's connection to LGBTQ+ life stretches back much further than many realise. When the Prince Regent began building his pavilion here in the 1780s, he transformed this seaside town into a place where people could be more themselves than society typically allowed. That spirit of freedom and individuality didn't disappear – it took root in the very fabric of our city.

By the Victorian age, working-class Londoners discovered they could embrace this spirit too. A cheap train ticket from London, a weekend by the sea, and a boarding house where nobody knew your name – these simple things offered thousands of ordinary people a rare chance to escape the watchful, judgmental eye of their home communities. For many whose lives didn't fit society's restrictive rules, a trip to Brighton and Hove represented the only freedom they experienced all year.

From hidden lives to visible pride

Throughout history, influential LGBTQ+ people quietly made their homes here, living discreetly during times when the language itself didn't exist to describe their identities. Today, blue plaques, buildings, street names and buses across the city honour their memory and witness their lives.

By 1972, just over a decade after homosexuality had been partially decriminalised, something remarkable happened. Twenty people – students, local gay men and lesbians – walked along our seafront between the piers, chanting that being gay was good, not shameful. A year later, Brighton and Hove held Britain's second-ever Pride march. Something had fundamentally shifted. A support phone line opened, a switchboard started ringing, and our city decided that visibility and community support mattered.

Remembering sacrifice and fighting for the future

Through the AIDS crisis, through Section 28, and through years when the law and press were actively hostile, Brighton and Hove kept building support services and showing love. The Tay memorial in New Steine Gardens still catches the light in the shape of a red ribbon, ensuring that no one forgets who we lost during those dark years.

Pride may be our city's biggest celebration, but reflection throughout the year remains vital. As a community, we celebrate our freedoms whilst remembering the sacrifices that won them and the real challenges many still face today.

In 2013, Brighton and Hove made history once more by holding Britain's first Trans Pride. The organisers understood something fundamental: "be yourself" isn't a slogan you get to apply selectively.

This is why Brighton and Hove is known as the gay capital – because we've consistently chosen courage, solidarity and community over fear, and we continue to do so today.

Source: Why Pride remains at the heart of our city's identity and future