While the Home Office admitted that gay sex is punishable with up to 21 years in prison and LGBT people suffer harassment and even rape there, “The law is rarely applied and the objective evidence does not establish that LGBT persons are likely to be subjected to persecution or serious harm.” While their logo has been changed to a rainbow flag, people were quick to point out that the Home Office have also rejected another asylum application from Kenneth Macharia: a gay rugby player and asylum seeker who fears violence and persecution if he returns to Kenya. But too often the appearance of a rainbow flag, and a worthy video for social media announcing support and equality, doesn’t actually mean anything: the Home Office this year continue this practice apace.
Other entities too put the rainbow flag up on their social media pages, making the same statements of belief in equality for the LGBTQ+ community that ever company does. What did it say to have an alcohol sponsor for the event? As happens whenever a corporate sponsor steps into the ring with Pride, people were put on edge: after all, queers still lack social spaces that aren’t loaded with drink and drugs. Budweiser started advertising drinks that were copies of each of the different pride flags (the rainbow flag, the flag for asexual pride, the flag for trans pride, etc). Even people’s dealers offered discounts on weed if you’re a sodomite. Then, this week, the Pride month adverts began to roll out.