New stamps released to mark 50th anniversary of UK’s first Pride march
supports HTML5 videoA colourful collection of stamps have been unveiled by the Royal Mail to mark Pride Month.The set will be issued exactly 50 years since the UK’s first Pride rally on July 1, 1972.They celebrate ‘the story of Pride over time’ over the course of eight stamps.Each one is inspired the history-making rally in 1972, which was organised by the Gay Liberation Front.People marched from Trafalgar Square to Hyde Park, inspired by the first Pride events in New York.They chanted slogans such as ‘Gay is fun!
Gay is proud! Gay is beautiful!’One of the stamps in the Royal Mail’s new set depicts a banner reading ‘love always wins’.David Gold, the company’s director of external affairs and policy, said: ‘The vibrant, colourful Pride events that take place in towns and cities across the UK today trace their origins to a small number of people who marched through central London half a century ago to raise awareness of discrimination and inequality.‘There have been huge changes in laws and social attitudes, but Pride events continue to play a key role in raising awareness of discrimination, as well as celebrating diversity and individualism.’The stamps, specially commissioned by Royal Mail, were illustrated by award-winning artist Sofie Birkin, whose illustrations have featured in campaigns for brands such as Nike and Apple.The designers of the stamps, NB Studio, have, in collaboration with animation studio, Animade, created a film using the illustrations featured in the stamp issue.‘It was a real honour to be asked to design this iconic series for The Royal Mail, as they represent such an important part of British LGBTQ+ history,’ said Alan Dye, owner of NB Studio.He added: ‘It was an absolute joy to work with Sofie.
