Bury Pride is back and bigger than ever on Saturday, 29 April from 10.00am to 6.00pm!

This year’s event is going to be bigger and better than any previous year so come on down to The Elizabethan Suite, Bury Town Hall, Knowsley Street, Bury BL9 0SW.

The fabulous Prairie Dogs will be there, dancing indoors from 12.00 noon to 12.45pm.

Our favourite band Wolf will also be performing on the main stage from 1.45pm to 2.30pm.

This is a ticket only event. You will need to present your ticket to gain entry. Tickets are free – reserve a spot here.

Lesbian Visibility Week 2023

Lesbian Visibility Week (related to Lesbian Visibility Day) is an annual observance in the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries dedicated to increasing the awareness of lesbian women and their issues. It was originally celebrated in July in 1990 in California, and more recently in April. This year the celebration of lesbian love, culture and life is from 24 to 30 April.

International Lesbian Visibility Day is a day (26 April) to recognise and celebrate the contributions of lesbian women around the world. The day was created in 2008 to raise awareness of the issues faced by lesbians, and to encourage them to live authentically.

To celebrate International Lesbian Visibility Day, events and activities are held in cities and towns around the world, including marches, rallies, and other public events. Organisations such as the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) also hold events to raise awareness and celebrate the day. Additionally, many individuals take part in online initiatives such as social media campaigns, online forums, and blogs.

International Lesbian Visibility Day is a day to recognise and celebrate the achievements, contributions, and unique experiences of lesbian women. It is also a day to reflect on the challenges faced by these women, and to promote a greater understanding of the LGBT+ community. By celebrating International Lesbian Visibility Day, we can create a culture of acceptance and inclusion, and help to create a more equal and just society for all.

How did International Lesbian Visibility Day first start off? 

International Lesbian Visibility Day was first celebrated in 2008 to bring attention to the issues that lesbian women face around the world. The day was started in order to bring visibility to the struggles and successes of these women in the fight for equality. International Lesbian Visibility Day also serves to create a safe space for lesbians and bisexual women to celebrate and express themselves. 

The day was created after a group of activists and allies, working with the ILGA and the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Youth and Student Organization (IGLYO) realised the need for a day to celebrate and bring visibility to the issues of lesbians and bisexual women. The day was created to celebrate the diversity of the lesbian, bisexual and queer community and to emphasize the importance of visibility for these women, and since its inception, International Lesbian Visibility Day has grown in popularity. 

What is the significance of International Lesbian Visibility Day? 

International Lesbian Visibility Day is an important event in the LGBTQ+ community, to recognise the contributions and accomplishments of lesbians, and to raise awareness about the challenges they face. 

This day marks an important step in the fight for lesbian rights and recognition, and it is an opportunity to honour and acknowledge the accomplishments of lesbians around the world, and unique contributions in culture, politics, and science. 

International Lesbian Visibility Day is an important event in the LGBTQ+ community, and it serves as a reminder that lesbians are an integral part of the LGBTQ+ movement. 

Australia is on track to become one of the first countries in the world to eliminate HIV

A 10-year study has found that Australia could become one of the first countries to “virtually eliminate” HIV transmissions, with new infections decreasing dramatically. 

The findings, published in Lancet HIV, showed that HIV infections decreased by 66 per cent between 2010 and 2019 in New South Wales and Victoria, while there was a 27 per cent rise in people accessing effective HIV treatment. 

Increased access to HIV treatment and PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) – the medication that prevents a person from contracting HIV – was cited as a key reason for decreased transmissions. 

The journal also endorsed the public health strategy “treatment as prevention”, explaining that HIV treatment “results in virally suppressing the HIV virus”, which reduces a person’s risk of transmitting HIV to another person to zero. 

“We examined 10 years of clinical data from over 100,000 gay and bisexual men in New South Wales and Victoria,” said Dr Denton Callander, who led the research at the University of New South Wale’s Kirby Institute.

“We found that over time, as viral suppression increased, HIV incidence decreased. Indeed, every percentage point increase in successfully treated HIV saw a fivefold decrease in new infections, thus establishing treatment as prevention as a powerful public health strategy.”

Dr Callander also underlined the importance of access to HIV testing, as well as the “widespread availability” of PrEP.

Professor Mark Stoové from the Burnet Institute, co-senior author on the paper, added that the success of Australian measures such as education on HIV and reduced patient treatment costs could see the country “virtually eliminate” new HIV transmissions.

HIV experts have explained how medical breakthroughs have transformed the treatment and prevention of the virus.

The U=U (undetectable = untransmittable) slogan aims to tackle the misconception that people with HIV can pass the virus on even if they are receiving effective treatment.

In fact, U=U means that if a HIV-positive person has been taking effective HIV treatment, and their viral load has been undetectable for six months or more, they cannot pass the virus on through sex. 

In the UK, former health secretary Matt Hancock committed to ending new HIV transmissions by 2030, however, charities and activists have warned this won’t happen without better utilisation of all the tools to prevent HIV transmission. 

Richard Angell, chief executive at Terrence Higgins Trust, said it’s “possible but not probable” that the UK will reach the 2030 goal. It’s new campaign – HIV, time’s up – has been launched to ensure Hancock’s target is achieved on schedule.

It is calling for the expansion of opt-out HIV testing in A&Es to all areas with high HIV prevalence and for prevention pill PrEP to be made available outside of sexual health clinics.

Some “huge successes” were praised in terms of UK HIV prevention, but experts explained that inequality and stigma, as well as a lack of resources, were still hurdles to overcome in order to meet Hancock’s aim.