Entertainment
We still can’t stop thinking about Olly Alexander’s epic pride speech at Glastonbury 2019 as festival returns-Kim Novak-Entertainment – Metro
He addressed the history of Pride and the ongoing fight for equality.
Olly Alexander’s impassioned speech at Glastonbury 2019 is still so important (Picture: REX / BBC)
Glastonbury Festival is back in full swing this year after a two-year hiatus due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and what better time to look back at one of the most memorable moments from the music festival’s history.
Years & Years star Olly Alexander shared a powerful speech to mark Pride month in 2019 and the importance of being his authentic self in his performances and daily life.
Standing in front of large text on the stage reading ‘Queer is beautiful’, he began: ‘I talk about being gay – you might have already noticed some of the subtle messaging on stage – but I’m gay and I talk about being gay kind of a lot.
‘I’m sure some people wish I would shut up about it sometimes, but I have my reasons and some of them are personal, because I spent such a long time wishing I wasn’t gay, being ashamed of that, so now it’s like I’m making up for lost time, you know?”
His performance at the music festival came days after the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, a series of protests held by members of the gay community in 1969 after a police raid at the Stonewall Inn in New York.
Olly, who will also perform at this year’s festival, continued: ‘The only reason I’m even able to be up here talking about my gay self is because of all the people that have came before me that fought for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
‘Sometimes we are referred to as the acronym LBGT, sometimes LGBTQ+, I personally like to use the word queer, but lots of people don’t like that word, and that’s because the word has a complicated and painful history. And whether we like it or not, history really matters.’
He educated the crowd on what Stonewall was and the importance of remembering the history that preceded performances like his, adding: ‘The reality is that the lives of LGBT people are as varied and as complex as anyone else’s, but they are under a very real threat.
Olly will take the stage again this year (Picture: Jim Dyson/Getty Images)
‘The fight for equality began before the Stonewall riots, it continues today and it will go on until tomorrow, into the future. But the future is not fixed. And our histories cannot predict what tomorrow might bring or what we might do with it.
‘I believe that everybody here has the chance to change history. We change history every day, and it’s up to each and every one of us if we want to change the world.
‘I believe there is no true LGBT equality until the fight against racism is over, against sexism is over, against ableism, bigotry, climate change… if we want to get anywhere without leaving anybody behind, we’re going to have to help each other out.’
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MORE : Olly Alexander admits he was ‘so afraid of being gay’: ‘It took me years to accept that I was’
MORE : Glastonbury 2022: Here are all the LGBTQ+ acts to watch at this year’s festival
Metro.co.uk celebrates 50 years of Pride
This year marks 50 years of Pride, so it seems only fitting that Metro.co.uk goes above and beyond in our ongoing LGBTQ+ support, through a wealth of content that not only celebrates all things Pride, but also share stories, take time to reflect and raises awareness for the community this Pride Month.
MORE: Find all of Metro.co.uk’s Pride coverage right here
And we’ve got some great names on board to help us, too. From a list of famous guest editors taking over the site for a week that includes Rob Rinder, Nicola Adams, Peter Tatchell, Kimberly Hart-Simpson, John Whaite, Anna Richardson and Dr Ranj, we’ll also have the likes Sir Ian McKellen and Drag Race stars The Vivienne, Lawrence Chaney and Tia Kofi offering their insights.
During Pride Month, which runs from 1 – 30 June, Metro.co.uk will also be supporting Kyiv Pride, a Ukrainian charity forced to work harder than ever to protect the rights of the LGBTQ+ community during times of conflict, and youth homelessness charity AKT. To find out more about their work, and what you can do to support them, click here.
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