The annual Gay Pride march through London has certainly grown in numbers over the years, but seems to have become a rather tame costume parade, about as challenging and erotic as a mail- order catalogue.
This is not to unduly criticise the people who took part, the various groups having by themselves little say to overcome the overwhelming influence that the Labour movement is bringing to rein in the proceedings.
Very little nudity was observed. Barriers were everywhere, and a heirarchy of stewards stalked the procession (from Hyde Park, Piccadilly, Trafalgar Sq, Big Ben, fizzling out by Victoria) not 'just' stewards, but also 'senior' stewards and even 'deputy chief' stewards. (Kinky or what ?) , sometimes preventing people from joining the parade, and even comlaining about photographers, which seems a little anxious for such a public event.
The political element was largely absent; in modern times, labour's compulsory 'unified social state' has rather pushed radical voices to the margins (and that goes for ANY section of the left movement, as New Statesman magazine's new-found partnership with BAE Systems testifies). One group did try to counter this dearth of ideas, dressed as pirates, with a slogan of "Queer Mutiny, not Gay Community". This of course, received some attention from the police, although i didn't witness any arrests.