SDLP leader Colum Eastwood has urged Derry people to come out to celebrate the annual Pride Parade through the streets of the city tomorrow.
The Foyle MLA supported the first ever Pride parade in Derry as the city’s mayor in 2010 (pictured).
Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s parade, he said achieving full equality for the LGBT+ community had become the “civil rights calling of a new generation.”
He added: “Tackling the endemic discrimination faced by our LGBT brothers and sisters, sons and daughters in healthcare, equality and other areas is critical to creating a fairer society.
“One of the first acts the SDLP has taken as an Opposition party at Stormont is to table proposals for private member’s legislation which will finally ensure that those in our LGBT community have the basic right of being able to marry the person they want to spend the rest of their life with.
“We must all stand together to deliver a powerful message of hope and acceptance to our LGBT friends and family, young and old, that the love they share is as equal as any other.
“The people of this city can do that by coming together on Saturday and standing shoulder to shoulder in solidarity with this community.
“As Mayor, I stood with the LGBT community in the first ever Pride parade in Derry.
“As SDLP leader, I’ll stand with them as an active ally in their fight for marriage equality, for fair blood donation rules, for access to critical healthcare provision and for full equality and liberation.”
Mr Eastwood concluded; “Derry is a diverse and accepting city, I have no doubt that people here will join us in even bigger numbers.”
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