Pride is an event celebrated across the globe every year, with Norwich (which boasts both the highest percentage of bisexual people and the second highest population of non-binary people in the United Kingdom) being no exception. Every summer since 2009, except 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, Norwich has hosted Pride celebrations that allowed locals to showcase the beautiful diversity and variety of identities that our city has. This year, of course, was no exception, and on July 27th the streets were brimming with colour for Norwich Pride once more.

It is a well-known fact that identity and self-expression are intrinsically linked with one another, and so the role that fashion and clothing plays in queer spaces is not something that should be undermined. This year saw many of its celebrants wearing clothes that have been printed with what is known as the ‘progress flag’ – an iteration of the pride flag created in 2018 by Daniel Quasar in which the traditional six horizontal rainbow stripes feature a white triangle with black and brown, blue and pink stripes that represent people of colour and transgender people respectively.

Though you’re probably familiar with the six-striped version without the triangle, which is still in popular use today, what you may not know is that the first version of the pride flag created had eight stripes – the pink being later removed and the turquoise and indigo being consolidated into one single blue stripe due to fabric shortages. More recent changes, such as the addition of black and brown, and the colours of the transgender pride flag, were made to address discrimination that can be seen within the queer community. This shows just how much the expression of queer identity has changed, and still continues to change in response to the social climate that surrounds us.

However, waving a flag around is not always the easiest and most practical way for someone to celebrate their identity and so the pride flag designs are also often made into regular wearable garments. At Norwich Pride, there could be seen an array of umbrellas, hats, even hand-crocheted clothes that sported the colours of the flag the wearer wanted to represent. I would also be remiss if I did not mention the rainbow tote bag, which I see not just all over the UEA campus, but everywhere in Norwich. These things are seen not just during Pride, but all year round – because being proud of your identity is not something that simply begins and ends in Pride season.

Clothing is perhaps one of the easiest ways people can express and show off their identity – and the way Norwich especially openly expresses joy and pride this way is something that the rest of the country should envy!

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