The bravery and importance of Wales’ first gay pride march

The marchers – estimates of their numbers range from 100 to less than 30 – were taking part in Wales’ first gay pride march. They were surrounded by police officers and Jeff recalls there was “a definite atmosphere – it was palpable”.

Two of the marchers – Francis Brown (pictured above right) and Tim Foskett – were Jeff’s friends and most of the other participants’ faces were familiar to him. In fact, he would have been on the march himself if he hadn’t had to work that day. He said, “It was a very brave thing for those men and women to do. They were putting themselves in a position where it could have been very difficult.”

Jeff, now 62, has indelible memories of that Thursday in June. He said, “What I saw was a very peaceful group of people walking with placards. When you look at the photographs it looks very old fashioned, but it was a big thing at the time. I heard people in the street reacting to the march, some favourably, some not. And afterwards I heard people talking about it.”

Was it important? “Absolutely.”

Nowadays, Pride Cymru – an organisation supported by funding made possible by National Lottery players – organises an annual event described as Wales’ 'biggest celebration of equality and diversity'. But the seeds of these joyous demonstrations of gay pride were sewn in 1985, by a brave, committed bunch of activists.

When Pride Cymru 2025 takes place in June, it will be an opportunity to reflect on the changes that have occurred since that first march 40 years ago.

Jeff, who came to Cardiff in the early 1980s to study fine art at what is now Cardiff University, said the city’s gay scene was very different back then. “One of the things I remember from that time was that you never saw gay people out and about – we were almost invisible. There were a few places where people met of course and a few students wore badges, but you were always looking for signs that you were in friendly company.”

He added, “People were choosing to be discrete, so you fell in with that. If you went to a gay venue, you were careful about who saw you go in and who saw you leave. I had heard that people had been assaulted by people who were hanging around the area looking for trouble.”

Today’s giant Pride Cymru celebrations are very different from the march that took place in 1985. Jeff said, “When you see banks and the ambulance and police with floats and people walking around happy and smiling… that’s wonderful. People come from all over Wales and further afield and it’s massive, you can’t ignore it.”

Society has changed, mostly for the better. Jeff said, “Things are different and some of that difference is very positive. Venues are more open and peoples’ attitudes are more open. I hope that it’s easier for young people.”

He is also very proud of the original marchers who took to the streets in 1985. He said, “I still have a great deal of admiration for them. I think it’s important that people know about what they did. They’ve created a better playing field for us all and I hope people are proud of that.”

The theme of this year’s LGBTQ+ History Month is Activism and Social Change. With the help of National Lottery funding, Pride Cymru is marking the event by exploring stories of resilience and progress and supporting a series of events across Wales to “honour our history, empower the present and build a brighter, more inclusive future.” Find more details at Pride Cymru.

7th February 2025