In the face of the global pandemic, pride events across the globe have had to make the move to virtual platforms, online showcases and marathon Zoom parties. Life in lockdown has offered queer people across the globe the opportunity to reflect on what pride really means, away from corporate floats and rainbow stamped commodities. Gareth Pugh and his husband Carson McColl have launched a digital platform to find out exactly that. Soul of a Movement: Queer Nation invites video submissions from LGBTQIA+ people to discuss what pride really means to them. Built on a URL map of the UK and Ireland, users can click on different locations and hear the voices of activist organisations such as Voices4LDN, and LGBTQIA+ cultural figures such as Munroe Bergdorf, Ib Kamara and Graham Norton.
“Pride 2020 provided us with a unique challenge: how can we help to instil a sense of community and togetherness at a time where being together isn’t possible?” explains Pugh. “With that in mind, we decided to try and leverage our networks to create what will hopefully become a living record of queer culture in the UK and Ireland in 2020. At heart it’s about reaffirming that while we may all be on our own right now, as part of the LGBTQIA+ community, you are never alone.”
This year’s pride marks 50 years since the first-ever pride march – Christopher Street Liberation Day, in New York, which was held on the first anniversary of the Stonewall riots. On this momentous milestone, Pugh and McColl have premiered their collaborative documentary film Soul of a Movement: Four Days in June. Looking to the birth of the queer liberation movement in 1969, the hour-long film documents four days during June of last year when the couple toured the UK to meet an array of activists, allies and queer artists who are paving the way for queer liberation within the modern-day – featuring contributions from 343 Belfast, Ms Carrie Stacks and Nicola Sturgeon.
‘Soul of a Movement: Four Days in June’ is available to watch above, accompanied by the ‘Soul of a Movement: Queer Nation’ digital platform.
Soul of a Movement: Four Days in June
Writer: Carson McColl
Directors: and Carson McColl
Executive Creative Producer: Juliette Larthe
Producer: Ohna Falby
