‘Straight out of Trumpland’: LGBTQ+ members fight for Pride after Essex library ban

Chris Taylor, 38, an LGBTQ+ activist based in Rochford, Essex, has launched a petition against the ban on Pride events in Essex libraries. Photograph: Alicia Canter/The Guardian View image in fullscreen Chris Taylor, 38, an LGBTQ+ activist based in Rochford, Essex, has launched a petition against the ban on Pride events in Essex libraries. Photograph: Alicia Canter/The Guardian ‘Straight out of Trumpland’: LGBTQ+ members fight for Pride after Essex library ban Rochford LGBTQ+ community say Reform council’s ban on flying pride flags or holding events states they’re not welcome B efore Reform gained control of Essex county council in the May elections, Chris Taylor and members of the Rochford LGBTQ+ community already felt they were witnessing a growing tide of political rhetoric around identity. But they were still shocked when the county’s new leadership moved to ban Pride events in 74 libraries, scaling back events of “any particular groups or themes”, a decision they said was “straight out of Trumpland”. “It communicates the fact that we’re not welcome,” said Taylor, who recently launched a petition against the “Orwellian” ban on pride events in Essex libraries . Reform councils across England, from Essex and Durham to Leicestershire and Kent, have imposed bans on flying the pride flag and holding pride events in public spaces, as well as, in some cases, defunding pride events previously sponsored by local authorities. Essex county council said libraries were “safe spaces for everybody” and LGBTQ+ books and displays would continue, but added the promotion of library events aimed at specific groups was under review. ‘Bigger and better than ever’: how Durham Pride beat Reform’s funding axe with help from the miners Read more Reform councils have stopped flying Pride flags outside civic centres and county halls and restricted council flagpoles exclusively to union, national, county or armed forces flags at council buildings under its control. Since learning of Essex council’s proposed changes to its libraries, Taylor, 38, has contacted Reform councillors with concerns but has yet to receive a response. With Essex Pride approaching, one LGBTQ+ resident told Taylor they had wanted to attend the library with their child, but expressed safety concerns. “There does seem to be a bit a resurgence of anti-acceptance toward the community in the area,” added Taylor. “It’s a bit alarming.” In Sunderland and Gateshead, Reform-led councils have withdrawn funding for Pride events and ended the practice of flying Pride flags on council buildings, while South Tyneside council has restricted the flag’s display at South Shields town hall to a single day at the start of Pride month. Drew Dalton, an outreach manager at Out North East, which runs Pride events across Sunderland, Gateshead and South Tyneside and recently opened One Centre, the north-east’s first LGBT community centre in Gateshead, said the organisation had been preparing for Reform victories for months.