Jane Hazlegrove from “Coronation Street”: Pride means sharing love and your own identity | Soaps

As a woman in my 50s, when I think about Pride and what it means to me, I remember all the Prides I have participated in over the last 30 years or so.

I still feel a tingle of anticipation and excitement when I think about coming together and celebrating the joys – and sometimes sorrows – that Pride always brings.

I first went to what was then called Manchester Mardi Gras with a group of work colleagues in the early 1990s. I remember standing on the side of the road on Princess Street as the floats went by, hoping that no one I knew would see me, as I had not yet come out to my family and many of my friends.

Sure enough, I happened to meet a girl named Sarah who lived a few streets away, and we smiled at each other while I prayed fervently that she wouldn’t tell anyone I had been there.

The following year, after I’d found a girlfriend, we drove to London in a black Nissan Cherry, Madonna on the tape player, and we desperately searched for people like us at Watford Gap Services who might follow our path.

We parked the car somewhere in north London and got on the tube towards Hyde Park. At each stop our numbers grew as groups of openly gay men and women crowded into the carriage with signs and whistles.

I was so happy. I liked this group and felt safe among them. Girls and boys held each other’s hands, and I held my friend’s hand. And I was proud.

We marched through London, surrounded by thousands of other people like us, singing, chanting and laughing.

People waved from their windows, traffic came to a standstill and drag queens flirted with police officers.

The gays were in town and it was a great feeling. Over the years, Pride grew in popularity and became a staple in my annual calendar.

As I lived in London and became more confident, I looked forward to Pride because it gave me the opportunity to celebrate with my friends – both gay and straight – but also to show my solidarity with my group.

The march was always important and inspired us to remain proud of ourselves, sometimes in the face of insults and hostility. But it always ended with a rally where activists inspired us to keep pushing for equality and acceptance, followed by a festival of wonderful things.

Anything and everything was welcome, from a group of drag queens dressed as Baywatch babes to the billowing, primal, often topless beauty of the women’s tent!

And yes, I may have been topless. Once. In Brockwell Park. Thankfully that was before mobile phones.

Cut to Manchester Pride 2019: I’m taking a selfie on the float in Coronation Street, shoulder to shoulder with my work colleagues, my wife of long years by my side, waving to the crowds lining Princess Street.

Somewhere among them there may have been a shy young woman, unsure of her sexuality, hoping no one she knew would see her there. But I like to think that times have changed, and mostly for the better.

This young woman can see role models in almost every walk of life today, including LGBTQ+ actors appearing on our most popular soap operas who can work and be celebrated for who they are.

Of course, prejudice and injustice still exist and our struggle continues, but Pride shows us that sharing love and holding hands makes us strong.

So, happy Pride everyone. I look forward to seeing you all there. I’ll try to keep my bra on.

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