Changing attitudes towards LGBTQ+ community has made first ever Caithness Pride possible, says Stepping Out secretary Charlie Bryde

A changing culture has helped make events like Caithness Pride possible, according to one of the organisers.

Charlie Bryde lived in Lybster for a spell growing up but now lives in Wick, where he is on the committee for Stepping Out, who are organising the first ever Pride march in Caithness next weekend.

There have been events in the region before, but never a march, and Mr Bryde believes there has been a change in attitude towards the LGBTQ+ community in Caithness.

He recalls feeling like he had to hide his identity in his school days, a far cry from performing as one of only two drag queens in the region and helping to make a parade through Thurso happen.

“I had to be quite hidden about it, and it was quite difficult with the people in the community who gave me a bit of abuse because I’m quite open about my sexuality,” he said.

“School was a bit all over the place for me. I don’t think there was anyone else who were LGBTQ+ at my school, apart from a couple of teachers.

“I didn’t really mention it to them though, only a guidance teacher who was an LGBTQ+ advocate in the school.

“It was hard to deal with, because obviously the other students were all together and they kind of just left me in the background. I was severely bullied even before they knew I was LGBTQ+.

“I think the people around me helped me be quite open, family and friends who were around me were always quite supportive.”

Given his past experiences, Mr Bryde was concerned when Stepping Out was created in Caithness, worrying that it could be met with a similar level of negativity.

While there have undoubtedly been challenges, though, the conversations he has had over recent weeks indicate a simmering excitement for Caithness Pride, belying his initial expectations.

“I was quite worried about the group at first, because I wasn’t sure what the response would be,” he explained.

“I was actually in Liverpool last summer, and then when I came back it started with small meet-ups. There weren’t many people going at first, but now that we’re doing more things there are a lot more people going and I think it’s a lot more representative.

“We’re not the first LGBTQ+ group up here, but we’re the only one still running, so I thought it was important to join.

“I never would have imagined that a group like this would start up, but I think there are a lot more LGBTQ+ people now than when I first moved up.

“It has been a lot of work to create Caithness Pride, but I’m excited about it. I’m just happy that there is a Pride, because when I first moved up here one of the things I really wanted was to help get a Pride going.

“I said at Stepping Out that we needed to do it at some point, but now it’s happening this year, much more quickly than I thought it would.”

Mr Bryde has previously volunteered at Highland Pride, and attended similar events in Edinburgh.

Caithness, though, promises to be an altogether different experience given the difference in population scale and the fact that it is simply so much closer to home.

“I think it will open people’s eyes, and because Stepping Out will be organising hopefully more people will start coming to our groups,” he added.

“I’m glad I’ve played a part in this by putting a lot of ideas across. The trustees have been great too, because we’re going for charity status.

“I don’t think this could ever have been a thing when I was growing up with the way LGBTQ+ people are treated up here.

“I have heard people say they’ve had homophobic attacks, but actually now they don’t get as much of that. I think that’s because there are more people around, and more visibility.

“The other Pride events I’ve been to have been really good because I’ve been able to make connections with people.

“I’ve met allies as well, and I think we have a lot of those in Caithness – there might actually be more allies than LGBTQ+ people at Caithness Pride.

“I think it will feel different, because it won’t be as big as Inverness. I think we’re only expecting up to 500 people, but we have people coming over from places like Orkney, and a school from Bettyhill as well.”

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