Urbantangerine photography: Manchester Pride 2012

The Manchester Pride parade has become a mother and son tradition. Cassius has attended the parade every year since we happened on it by accident when he was four. At first it was a family thing, and Gary came too. But then one year Gary was busy, and I had the parade and Cassius to myself. Now, I wont let ANYONE (not even Gary) come to the parade with us. It is sacred time for me and my son. Time when I get to stand with him and be proud of the tolerant young man he is growing up to be. Proud of the City that I think of as home, as it accepts my wonderful gender non-conformist son. Proud that he can stand with his "Pride" teddy-bear, and not feel self-concious, actually wave that bear proudly and unashamedly. And watch that bear's waves returned with smiles. My eleven year old son, can let go of the prejudice that often surrounds him, let go of the shackles of being a "real boy" and be himself. And he is applauded, and welcomed with open arms into our community. This is what the Pride parade means to me. This is why I get emotional every year. As I watch my people walk with heads held high, with defiance and love.

Each year Pride makes me proud to be British. To live in a country that accepts LGBT people, that allows them the same legal protections as straight people, and even allows them the same rights to legal marriage (albeit under a different name). I watch as policemen and women, firemen and women, nurses, doctors, teachers, students and all manner of other people, walk through Manchester city centre to show solidarity and tolerance. This is my city, my country, my home, and each year at this Parade I remember why I love it so!

I took far too many pictures, and struggled to even trim it down to those I'm going to include in this post. But I wont apologise for that, because there were so many pictures that captured all of the things I've tried to say above. So here they are, the pictures that tell the story of this years Manchester Pride Parade.