Sunderland Minster, along with Christians from around Sunderland and the surrounding areas, were at Sunderland Pride today supporting the LGBTQ + event.

The Minster had a stall with knitted sheep and rainbows in various pride flag colours given out for free to those visiting it.

Rev. Jacqui Tyson had a picture frame with “The image of God” written on it which we were invited to pose in. The annual event was well attended with adults, teenagers, families and friends enjoying an afternoon of musical entertainment after the march from Park Lane to Keel Square.

This year is the 56th anniversary of the Stonewall riots which sparked the Pride marches. The Stonewall riots were sparked by a police raid on the Stonewall inn in Greenwich village in New York in 1969, after an increasingly oppressive approach to LGBTQ people by the police and US society and law in general. The riots continued for several days and led to organisations springing up advocating rights for LGBTQ people.

These campaigning groups have won equal marriage rights and protection in law such as the Equality Act but there has been an erosion of rights in recent years throughout the world.

By Elaine Shanks.