Brighton woman flying the Rainbow flag across Europe (From The Argus)
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Brighton woman flying the Rainbow flag across Europe
4:00pm Wednesday 6th May 2009 in News By Emmeline Saunders
Clare Dimyon
A woman who made history by persuading British embassies in Europe to fly the Rainbow flag is set to go on a whirlwind Pride solidarity tour.
Clare Dimyon, a 44-year-old Quaker, will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of her own coming out by jetting off to meet with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) groups across Europe this summer.
Clare, from Brighton, made headlines in June last year when she prompted the British ambassador in Latvia to hang the flag, which represents the LGBT movement, outside the embassy for Riga s Pride parade.
It is thought to be the first time the Rainbow flag had been flown outside a British embassy anywhere in the world. The same happened in Warsaw and Brazil.
Speaking about this year's tenweek tour, Clare said: "We want to support people who are suffering injustice.
"We want to say, We're with you, we support you. You're not on your own."
Clare wants to raise awareness in former Soviet republics that do not yet have gay rights enshrined in law.
It has been a far from easy journey for Clare, who had firecrackers thrown at her in Moldova while on a Pride march, but she remains determined.
She said: "It's important to fight it when people are using religion and the Bible as an excuse for homophobia."
Her journey kicks off tomorrow in Moldova. She then travels to Riga for Baltic Pride, which attracts support from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
The British embassies from these countries have pledged to translate their LGBT tool kit into the appropriate languages.
The tool kit is a Foreign and Commonwealth Office document containing British policy on gay rights and how overseas government bodies can avoid discrimination.
Clare will be in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, for the 31st anniversary of the creation of the Rainbow flag, an appropriate place to be on June 25, as the city translates literally as I love you.
Comments(12)
PETE OF QUEENS PARK
says...
4:52pm Wed 6 May 09
John Steed
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5:31pm Wed 6 May 09
I have celebrated 50 years of being homophobic
Sweepster
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6:16pm Wed 6 May 09
alfieconnection
says...
7:44pm Wed 6 May 09
Bennn
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8:32pm Wed 6 May 09
Psycho Bob
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8:52pm Wed 6 May 09
PETE OF QUEENS PARK wrote:Ban GAY PRIDE. Now that'll be a good vote catcher.
Hope she stays there, pity a few more don't go with her and lets get brighton back to what it should be especially Kemp town and ban GAY PRIDE and give the local strait people the old Brightn carnival back
The carnival in the good old days was great entertainment.
Bennn
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9:22pm Wed 6 May 09
Psycho Bob
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10:01pm Wed 6 May 09
I was not refuring to Pride, but the local people of the old Brighton carnival that used to be, before being taken over by the PC correct brigade.
getreal1
says...
10:32pm Wed 6 May 09
Psycho Bob wrote:Absolutely - and it's lot easier to get local authority and other funding if you proclaim that you're a rug muncher. Let's make sure that there's a good turnout of normal people on the next occasion the carinval takes place - with people having fun without the necessity of parading through town in only underpants, having sex in public, and of course without leaving the town looking as though the cleaners haven't picked anything up for a year.
You muppet. I was not refuring to Pride, but the local people of the old Brighton carnival that used to be, before being taken over by the PC correct brigade.
TheInsider
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10:41pm Wed 6 May 09
Pete left him and tried to become straight but he could not even spell straight let alone see straight.
Stu
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12:10pm Thu 7 May 09
Well done Clare.
RAS Putin says...
4:35pm Wed 6 May 09