About Porty Pride
Porty Pride is an annual pride event run by the LGBTQ+ community of Portobello, Edinburgh.
We exist to celebrate diversity, build visibility and strengthen community in Portobello — throughout the year, and for many years to come.
We see community as a positive tool of activism and community-building as a powerful way to tackle social injustices.
Porty Pride came about in 2021 during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Understandably, Pride marches were cancelled during the pandemic, yet this inevitably dimmed the visibility of LGBTQ+ communities, many of whom were facing additional challenges and discrimination exacerbated by Covid-19. We understood why we couldn't come together to march during the pandemic, but this didn't remove the need for Pride.
In 2021 we celebrated Pride Month by flying Progress flags along Portobello High Street. It was a huge success and created a positive and safe environment for the local community.
Porty Pride is made possible year-on-year by all its amazing volunteers, including the organising committee, without whom all this wouldn’t be possible!
Porty Pride takes an ethical approach to funding.
We do not wish to create or contribute to any activity which would equate to “pink washing” (the promotion of the LGBT+ friendliness of a corporate or political entity in an attempt to downplay or soften aspects of it considered negative).
We were Scotland’s first Fossil Free Pride and our decision-making aligns with the Fossil Free Pride Pledge.
All funds will be used to cover our costs, which include venue and equipment hire, paying LGBTQ+ performers, speakers and activists, BSL interpreters and keeping everyone safe and sound. Should we make any profit over these costs, we automatically reinvest it to contribute to the future of Porty Pride. In the future we would especially like to ensure Porty Pride remains accessible as possible and be able to continue to hire BSL interpreters.
