Llanelli Pride throws rainbow over town

LLANELLI’S MP Nia Griffith has been celebrating Llanelli’s first Pride Parade in the town. Hundreds gathered as the main parade started at 11.30 from Park Street.

There were plenty of people dressed in vibrant outfits and plenty of rainbow flags on display. Even the pooches were dressed for the occasion.

There were speeches by MP Carolyn Harris and Dr Elliott King, UKPON, Swansea Pride Chair and young Josh Rosenthal spoke about the Changing Places Campaign.

As well as the parade there were stalls and entertainment including Llanelli Rock Choir. A number of organisations including Scouts Cymru, UNITE Wales, LBGT+ Labour Wales, UNISON  and Family Housing were also present at the event.

Following the event Nia Griffith MP commented: “Massive thanks to everyone who helped make such a fantastic success of Llanelli Pride…… what a vibrant, colourful, entertaining day….and very heart-warming to see such strong support for the LGBT community and all diversity in our society.”

Llanelli’s AM Lee Waters was also at the event and he tweeted: “What an amazing turnout. The Turks are bursting with #pride today.

Nia Griffith MP has long campaigned for the rights of the LBGT+ community. The MP admits to having had a tough time when she was a teacher in a relationship with another female teacher.

Writing on a Labour website  Ms Griffith said: “30 years ago. At the time I was teaching in a large comprehensive school and in a relationship with another female teacher. This was when same-sex relationships were little acknowledged and we knew very few other same-sex couples, so we were already quite isolated. It was then that Margaret Thatcher’s government introduced the homophobic law Section 28, which stipulated that local authorities must not “promote homosexuality” or promote “the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship”.

“This language was hateful, threatening and intimidating, and I was conscious that the force of the law could be used against me. Back in 1988, there were no anti-discrimination laws that covered a person’s sexual orientation, meaning that you could be fired just for being gay.”

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