Pride Month profile with Mayor Damien Egan
Why is Pride so important to you?
Pride not only acts as a celebration for the LGBT+ community but it also serves as an important milestone in how far we have come and reminder of how far we still need to go. Pride originated as a political protest and is still hugely important because there are many adverse challenges we face. Generations before us have fought for the rights that many LGBT+ people are still fighting for the around the world. Pride is a safe space for people to celebrate equality and diversity, and increase visibility - and it’s also great fun!
How have your Pride plans changed during COVID-19?
Sadly this year we aren’t able to join in the celebrations as planned and I was hoping this would be the first year that Lewisham Council would be part of the parade. I know many of us will still be joining together online to show solidarity and hopefully we can look forward to a bigger celebration next year.
Beyond London Pride there are also other events held locally throughout the year. Last year my partner, Yossi, and I joined Deptford Pride. We loved it and it was so heart-warming to see an authentic local Pride bursting with enthusiasm, support and activism. It was a real celebration and a reminder of Lewisham’s LGBT+ community. It made me so proud of our borough, I can’t wait for us to be able to celebrate together soon.
What’s it like being an LGBT Mayor?
I love Lewisham and I’m really privileged to be Mayor and be able to make a difference in the community I love. I also think it’s so important for us to promote diversity in leadership roles because we bring different perspectives and there are times when you can draw on difficult life experiences that are shared by others in our community.
But there are challenges and responsibilities that come with that too. Specifically in relation to LGBT+, visibility is important but action is what really counts. And I’m glad in the last couple of years we’ve been able improve services that have a significant impact on LGBT+ residents’ life. We were amongst the first councils to support campaigners in calling for the Government to roll out PrEP – a preventative HIV drug.
Does your experience drive you?
Yes, of course, and on a personal level I worry a lot more now about increasing division in society and we’re seeing all forms of hate crime on the rise. I used to take for granted how safe I felt in Lewisham but over the last year when I’ve been out with Yossi and we’ve been holding hands we had numerous occasions of verbal abuse and threats. I was surprised how it knocked our confidence and, like so many LGBT+ couples, you have to get used to (even subconsciously) checking out your surroundings before any PDAs.
Experiences like that really drive my determination to continue to promote Open Lewisham - a place that welcomes everyone, from all over the world, and celebrates and learns from our diversity and the experiences and perspectives we bring. I think Lewisham is well placed to do that and we have the most wonderful and welcome network of community and activist groups. I want everyone to feel safe in our borough and to be who they are.
What does the 2020 campaign ‘You! Me! Us! We!’ mean to you?
I read it as a call for unity. How each of us has a responsibility to promote inclusivity and acceptance and today that’s more important than ever. No community is one homogenous group and LGBT+ experiences and challenges vary vastly. This is a call on all of us to learn and appreciate that, and to stand by and support each other. We all have different experiences, a gay or bisexual man will have a very different experience from a gay or bisexual woman. Our differences are actually a strength but only if we harness them and learn from each other.
Last year Yossi and I attended Black Pride, which was fantastic. It was great to see MNEK perform there - a brilliant Lewisham LGBT+ role model - and to show our support. For me it was a powerful reminder of some of the extra challenges some LGBT+ people of colour face and this is particularly important for us here in Lewisham.
I think the Black Lives Matter protests we have seen happening around the world have a very clear and powerful message that in order to be an ally we mustn’t remain silent. Speaking up and speaking out is central in the fight against inequality.
Since I’ve been Mayor I’ve also attended and spoken at events to support CliniQ, the UKs first Wellbeing and Sexual Health service for Trans and Non-binary people in Lewisham. The trans community faces so much prejudice in the UK and all over the world. Today their rights are being questioned and used as a political football when they shouldn’t be up for discussion.
What is your act of allyship?
Being an ally is not just about providing accepting environments, although that is amazing and welcome, it’s also about calling out abuse where we see it. I think that if someone feels comfortable enough to shout abuse to Yossi and me and other LGBT+ people on the street then you can be pretty sure they’ll be making homophobic comments with their colleagues, friends, families and partners. It can be too easy not to challenge people who we know who make discriminatory comments, but hate spreads. So to me the best form of allyship is also being brave enough to call out hate wherever you see it, even if that means some hard conversations.
And some of our best allies can be our families, especially our parents. I’m so lucky my family and particularly my Mum has been so accepting, but too many of my friends haven’t had that same experience. I would plead with parents not to allow discriminatory language around their children, you never know what they’re going through, and to reassure them that you’ll always love and support them