Yesterday, Reading Pride made an announcement in response to ‘an open letter from DIY Pride Reading and members of our community’, and confirming details recently shared by Reading Queers for Palestine ahead of the Town Hall and Festival for Falasteen they are organising on Saturday 02 August 2025.
The full response has been posted on Reading Pride’s ‘about’ page on their website and provides more information on its sponsors; its current position on Gaza; its stance on the participation of Thames Valley Police, British Transport Police, and the University of Reading; its conversations with representatives from the Conservative and Labour parties at the local and national level as well as its decision not to invite those parties to the Love Unites festival; and its commitment to working towards making the festival more sustainable (aims and strategies tbc).
This announcement would not be possible without important work Reading Queers for Palestine and other community members have done behind the scenes and publicly to ensure Reading Pride engaged with and responded to the concerns of our community.
While we welcome many of the changes Reading Pride have announced, this is only the start of what we hope will be a constructive conversation in Reading’s queer community.
We feel it is important for DIY Pride Reading to take our time to read, reflect on, and respond to the statement as a collective. We waited over 69 days for Reading Pride to respond to our most recent open letter of 21 May 2025 and even longer (since July 2024!) for an acknowledgment of our first open letter raising our concerns with your sponsors and asking you to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. As part of our commitment to ensuring we are transparent in our communications with Reading Pride, we are publishing their response to our open letter here (see below).
We have consistently asked Reading Pride to meet with DIY Pride Reading to discuss our specific concerns and the future of Pride in Reading. While Reading Pride have confirmed they will have representatives at the Town Hall organised by Reading Queers for Palestine on 02 August 2025, DIY Pride Reading were not consulted about the date and are not able to attend.
We once more call on Reading Pride to meet with DIY Pride Reading at a time that is both mutually convenient, given the events we are organising (DIY Pride Reading 2025 at the Rising Sun Arts Centre and the Loves Unites festival) are taking place on Saturday 30 August 2025, and sensitive to the urgency of this meeting there are only 31 days (!!) left until Pride in Reading.
In the meanwhile, we encourage as many community members as possible to attend the Town Hall facilitated by RQ4P and chaired by Iota events and that it is a productive space for further conversations about the issues you address in your statement. Reading’s queer community is stronger when we listen to one another and it sorely needs public forums where different perspectives from diverse voices are heard on a regular basis.
It is important to acknowledge the delay in your communication with DIY Pride Reading, and we are disappointed not to see public recognition of the work Reading Queers for Palestine have done to facilitate and mediate your engagement with longstanding concerns raised by members of Reading’s queer community.
Your delay in confirming the details they shared exposed Reading Queers for Palestine to unnecessary scrutiny from a community accustomed to having their concerns belittled and ignored. We were particularly critical of their post as it was unclear whether they had the authority to make this public on your behalf and we apologise for contributing to any unnecessary stress at an already difficult time.
DIY Pride Reading reaffirms our solidarity with RQ4P; we both believe in a free Palestine and condemn the genocide in Gaza.
On 29/07/2025 12:50, Tom Price wrote:
This email is sent on behalf of Reading Pride Trustees:
Dear all,
Thank you for your email and for sharing your concerns with us. We appreciate you reaching out to us and letting us know how you feel about these important issues. The Trustees of Reading Pride have discussed the points you raised, and we want the Reading Pride march and festival to be spaces that reflect our community's values.
The Trustees of Reading Pride would firstly like to apologise for the response to your letter in 2024. We agree with your interpretation of the letter. We have a new Chair of Trustees and we are taking a fresh look at the issue, with another year having gone by witnessing the atrocities taking place in Gaza
We understand the deep sadness and anger regarding the ongoing injustices faced by many, both globally and within our own society. We have always strived to be a platform for inclusivity, protest and celebration, and we take your feedback seriously.
Please find below our current positions on the specific points you raised which I hope help.
Political Party Participation:
As you may know, last year, in the face of increasing political hostility to the trans community, we called on party representatives from Labour and the Conservative party to meet with us to discuss our feedback on their policies before taking part in any activities. We met with the local Labour party MPs and representatives, the Conservative party did not respond.
Since last year's Reading Pride, the Labour Government has maintained the ban on puberty blockers, a policy initially justified by the now-discredited Cass Report. Additionally, Labour's Prisons minister approved a Conservative policy to generally assign trans women prisoners to male prisons unless they possess both a gender recognition certificate and have undergone gender confirmation surgery. It has also issued new Relationships, Sex and Health Education guidance for schools which hugely limits what can be taught about trans issues. While widespread segregation of trans women in the NHS hasn't occurred, waiting lists for trans care still exceed five years for an initial appointment and many trans people are finding care impossible to access.
A significant legal development occurred on April 16, 2025, when the Supreme Court ruled that for the Equality Act 2010, individuals are considered their "biological" sex, irrespective of gender recognition certificates. Shortly after, on April 25, 2024, the EHRC issued non-statutory guidance suggesting trans women be excluded from women's facilities and trans men from both men's and potentially women's facilities, with neither the court nor the EHRC consulting the trans community. The Labour Government, including Equalities minister Bridget Philipson, welcomed the court's findings and stated trans women should not use women's facilities. The Tories also supported the court's decision and the EHRC's guidance, encouraging public reporting of non-compliance and drafting an amendment to the Data Bill to change all ID documents to "biological" sex, which would forcibly out all trans people.
We share your frustration and alarm about the direction of national politics. Following last year’s event, we held meetings with some local party representatives and reviewed the actions and rhetoric of major political parties. It has become clear that both the Labour and Conservative parties continue to support or enable policies that are harmful to our trans siblings and other marginalised communities.
In response, we are changing our approach: no political party will be invited to participate in Reading Pride. If they wish to take part, they must first demonstrate tangible, local commitments to protecting and advancing trans rights, as well as safeguarding practical EDI initiatives.
We have developed a pledge outlining these commitments and will be engaging with all political representatives in our area to press for meaningful action, not just words. You can find details of the pledge here but in essence
For MPs - we invited them to publicly commit to the following five actions:
Speak out publicly in support of trans* rights, including during Pride Month, in Parliament, on social media, and in your constituency. 2.Support residents with casework relating to their gender identity, especially where they face barriers in accessing healthcare, legal documentation, or safety in public services. 3.Vote against any reduction in the rights of trans people, including legislative changes that would curtail legal protections or limit access to services.
Sign motions and petitions that defend and advance trans rights, including calls for NHS reform, safe access to services, and inclusive education policy.
Intervene with public services such as the NHS, local councils, and the police, when failures or discrimination affecting trans residents arise.
For Local Authority Councillors we asked them to:
Issue strict regulations against gender-policing in council building toilets and changing rooms, specifically that Council staff will not:
- Interrogate any person using these facilities regarding their gender, who is not otherwise causing a nuisance. -Ask individuals to produce documentation to “prove” their gender -Ask individuals to partially or fully undress to prove their gender -Search, touch or otherwise manhandle individuals with the intent of determining their gender -Carry out internet, records or database searches with the intent of identifying an individual's gender with regard to the use of these facilities -Remove individuals from these facilities or call the Police to do so, solely on the grounds of their perceived gender -Advise anyone or adopt any policy of advising to use the disabled toilets solely on the grounds of their perceived gender
Ensure that there is a consistent policy respecting the rights of trans and non-binary people across all council establishments including council offices, libraries, community centres and leisure facilities. Specifically that the Council will: -Promptly update the gender recorded for residents when requested to do so -Manage the data related to such changes as Sensitive in the context of data protection regulations -Treat trans people for all purposes in the gender they present in, understanding trans people may not have updated their identity records
Respect the dignity of trans and non-binary people by: -Using the correct name or pronoun for individuals, noting it is OK to ask what these are -Ensuring professionalism of the highest standards by training employees on trans rights
Ensure that all council services direct and contracted respect the rights of trans and non-binary people. Specifically that the Council will: -Identify what services have previously had no valid means of achieving a legitimate aim under Schedule 3, Paragraph 26 & Schedule 3, Paragraph 27 of the Equality Act 2010 -Explicitly declare that those services identified continue to have no valid means of a achieving a legitimate aim -Where services have had a valid means of achieving a legitimate aim, the Council will continue to operate these services as normal and advise publicly of that.
Encourage schools to adopt Amnesty International’s guidance on the themes of access to spaces, access to services and dignity and inclusivity
Commit to engaging directly with Trans affirming & Trans-led organisations on the drafting and implementation of any new policies arising directly from a Statutory Code of Practice issued by the Equality and Human Rights Commission
Agree to publish a public statement reaffirming your support in line with organisations such as Lush and the British Medical Association.
From initial discussions and correspondence with the main political parties over the last few months, Trustees agree that the Green Party and Liberal Democrats are welcome in our Parade and Festival as allies for their work, campaigning and positive support. We feel that the responses and commitment from the remaining parties were not sufficiently in line with our values. We took this approach, rather than an outright ban, as we want to see our local politicians properly representing and standing up for our community. For the Conservative and Labour Party - we hope we can expect better from you in the coming year. Of course any ally is welcome at Pride as an individual, rather than a party representative.
Thames Valley Police (TVP): We recognise that police participation in Pride is a deeply contentious issue, and we take seriously the fear, distrust and trauma many in our community experience in relation to policing. Thames Valley Police will not be hosting a stall at the Reading Pride marketplace this year, however we will have uniformed police officers on site during the day for safety if required. LGBTQ+ and Ally Officers are of course welcome to attend and be part of the festival outside of uniform.
University of Reading: Following recent updated guidance on segregation around toilets and changing facilities, the University of Reading will not have a presence at Reading Pride this year. We are happy to discuss our deep concerns with their policies should they wish.
British Transport Police (BTP): Following recent updated guidance on bodily searches and community feedback, BTP will not have a presence at Reading Pride this year. We will also be careful watching how their actions impact the community.
Security: We will continue to have a professional security presence at the festival, as we need to, to ensure the safety and well-being of all attendees. This is separate from any police involvement. We have a new security company which will be working alongside us this year following an active decision to change based on previous years feedback. They have been chosen for their understanding of the aims of Reading Pride and the needs of our community during the day.
Fossil Free Pledge
We are committed to improving our Pride event and this includes making it a more sustainable event. We recognise the importance of adapting to protect our environment, however these changes can also be expensive. We have a series of sustainability aims, which we will review alongside the Fossil Free Pledge, and continue to work with our sponsors as well as fundraise in order to achieve these
Pride as a Protest: We wholeheartedly agree that Pride is, and always has been, a protest. We are committed to ensuring that Reading Pride provides a platform for freedom of expression and for vocalising important issues. We will continue to offer grassroots and community groups a space both in our march and at our festival, and have their voices heard.
Sponsorship: We understand your concerns regarding corporate sponsorship and "pinkwashing." Reading Pride makes independent decisions on all our sponsors based on our core values and charitable aims.
Sponsors provide the vital funds we need to keep going year after year. They are also a way of us engaging with local organisations, supporting their internal LGBTQ+ groups and organisations and sharing learning.
We also have to balance how Reading Pride is a free event, funded by sponsorship, fundraising events, donations (financial and non financial) and powered by volunteers. We strongly want to keep Pride free, bring as many people as we can into the community and share the hard work and enthusiasm of our talented performers, crafters, small businesses, charities, food vendors and sports groups. This boost of attention, awareness and custom on this single day is so important to those who attend year after year.
Our Ethical Sponsorship Guidance is here [(no link)]. We require potential sponsors to provide evidence of positive and ideally exceptional employment policies alongside ethical social policies. We aim to work closely with our sponsor companies, many of whom are significant employers in Reading and Berkshire, to foster positive engagement and create progressive and inclusive workspaces. We believe this proactive engagement can lead to improvements within these organisations and for our community. We will continue to review all potential sponsors against our own ethical framework which is based around the values of Reading Pride.
We also want to make clear our position on Gaza. Reading Pride stands in solidarity with the Palestinian people and unequivocally condemns the ongoing genocide in Gaza. We support the calls for:
- An immediate and permanent ceasefire
- Full and unrestricted humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza
- The release of all hostages and political prisoners
- And a decisive end to the illegal occupation
We do not and will not accept funding from companies directly involved in arms, weapons or military support, or the direct facilitation of war and occupation. When queries are raised about companies who are sponsoring, or seeking to sponsor Reading Pride, we will investigate and will be engaging with those companies for a robust response.
We review lists of those companies which are profiting from or enabling war. However all companies are researched to understand any links to arms, weapons, human rights abuses or war. Final decisions are made by our Trustees.
We want to reiterate our unwavering commitment to protecting all members of our diverse community. We believe in listening to, and learning from, the lived experiences of our community members. Should any campaign groups wish to be part of the march or take a stall or space, they would be welcomed.
For information, Reading Pride and Pepsico have mutually agreed to end our sponsorship deal and the committee are working hard to fundraise the additional money..
We believe that now is an important time for Reading Pride, as the United Kingdom slips further down the IDAHOT list, and persecution of our trans community, we need to ensure that we create a safe space for us to engage with our broad, vibrant community.
We hope this response clarifies our current positions and demonstrates our commitment to addressing the important issues you have raised. We value your engagement and believe that through open dialogue, we can continue to make Reading Pride a meaningful and impactful event for everyone.
Kind regards, The Trustees of Reading Pride Tom Price CEO Reading Pride
Dear Reading Pride,
We are writing to you to follow up on the email you sent to Double Okay and DIY Pride organisers in 2024, in response to our concerns with your sponsorship by Doritos (PepsiCo). We felt your response was inappropriate, belittling, and most of all, evidenced the upholding of Zionist propaganda, which continues to fuel the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. We shared your email publicly, to be transparent with our community following our open letter to you in July 2024. The wider community of LGBTQIA+ people across the UK were also appalled by your reply.
In response to your email and continued sponsorship by companies that fund Israel, we launched a DIY Pride Reading 2024 event and called for a boycott of Reading Pride and the ‘Love Unites’ festival. We supported performers to withdraw their labour from Reading Pride, with help from the LAD fund.
Our 2024 event was highly attended and our evening cabaret was sold out.The success of our 2024 event showed that the queer community in Reading appreciates having a grass roots pride event that is centred on our community. By standing with clear principles of anti-genocide and Trans-inclusivity, we have shown these are values that our community wants to support. We plan to show this again this year, in 2025.
We are reaching out to you again, to ask you to commit to following the examples of Brighton Pride, Northern Pride, Nottingham Pride, Norwich Pride, Doncaster Pride, Bristol Pride, and pledge to drop the sponsors that invest in Israel, and to honour BDS moving forward.
We understand that it takes a large amount of funds to organise Reading Pride, and the Doritos sponsorship has been reliable for many years. However, there is no justification for human suffering. Even if this means that Reading Pride will be a smaller event this year, from an ethical point of view it will be worth it. If you are planning changes to your sponsors for this reason or for other reasons, we ask that you communicate these changes to DIY Pride Reading and the larger Reading community in the spirit of community and transparency. While we would like to be included in any further conversations about the future of your sponsors, we have other concerns with Reading Pride that go beyond the sponsors list. To ensure you are showing up for our community and its needs in a sincere and meaningful way, we ask that you:
Please be aware that we will be posting this email correspondence as an open letter, to continue to be transparent with our community.
To read more about who we are, why we are, and what we are aiming to do, you can read our manifesto here: https://diypriderdg.co.uk/manifesto
Yours faithfully,
DIY Pride Reading
Double Okay
Reading Queer Social
Reading Sapphics Social
Dogmouth Theatre
Reading Queer Poetry Circle
Reading Radical Library
Reading Trans Movement