This year, Belfast’s streets were filled with eager spectators, both young and old, who gathered to witness the annual Pride parade take place in their city. For the 2024 event, Micky Murray, the pioneering gay mayor of Belfast, took the lead. The event culminated with an after-parade celebration at the Square, with Julian Simmons, a former continuity announcer for UTV, as the main act.
Spectators donned rainbow-tinted face paint and waved LGBT+ flags, eagerly awaiting the vibrant parade’s commencement. A variety of groups and floats, equating to around 250 different organisations and charities, set off from Custom House Square at 1pm.
The theme for this year, ‘Love your Mind’, welcomed participation from several mental health charities, including Inspire, Aware, and NSPCC. Belfast Pride’s Co-chair, Kirsty Mullholand, stated how nearly everyone in Belfast has, in one way or another, contended with mental health challenges, either personally or vicariously through a loved one.
She regretfully acknowledged how members of the LGBTQIA+ society are disproportionately prone to poor mental health. “Being a member of the LGBTQIA+ community doesn’t inherently lead to mental health struggles, but it does heighten the risk,” she clarified. She further asserted that pervasive homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, and other forms of discrimination could result in such struggles. Conversely, embracing and expressing one’s authentic self could have a profoundly positive effect on mental well-being.
The First Minister, Michelle O’Neill, urged LGBT+ activists to continue amplifying their voices. She pledged her support and alliance, saying, “As your First Minister, I stand with you in our mutual ambition of a more inclusive, equal, and brighter future for all. Continue to be bold, continue to be proud, and most importantly, never cease to be yourself.”