LGBTQ

Christina Aguilera hits out at ‘Don’t Say Gay’ during Brighton Pride performance

Christina Aguilera’s headline set at Brighton Pride took aim at ‘Don’t Say Gay’. (Twitter)

Christina Aguilera hit out at Florida’s hateful ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law during her headline Brighton Pride performance.

Aguilera headlined Brighton Pride on Saturday (6 August), blessing fans with her greatest hits from the stage in Preston Park, including “Dirty”, “Genie in a Bottle”, “Express”, and the queer anthem “Beautiful”.

While performing “Glam”, Aguilera was joined on stage by Drag Race UK star Bimini Bon Boulash.

But Aguilera also used the opportunity to take a strong stand for LGBTQ+ rights, hitting out at the Florida law ‘Don’t Say Gay’.

The law, which went into effect in July, bans public school teachers from engaging in “classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity” and has been blasted for the harm it will cause to queer kids in the state.

As a video montage describing the law’s impact played on the stage, dancers held up signs that read: “Say gay.”

The montage continued, telling the crowd: “So today, in honour of Pride, let us shout.” As the entire audience screamed “gay”, the performers flipped their signs to reveal the words “love,” “freedom,” “peace,” “unity,” “identity” and “equality”.

Aguilera’s set ended on a poignant note, as she performed her 2002 hit “Beautiful” while wrapped in a progress Pride flag.

The LGBTQ+ community was thrilled to be back at Brighton Pride, one of the biggest Pride celebrations in the UK, for its 30th anniversary, after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Saturday, it is estimated that around 300,000 Pride-goers both celebrated and protested, with Ukrainian flags joining Pride flags in the parade calling for an end to Russia’s assault on the country.

The revelry continues on Sunday (7 August), with Paloma Faith headlining.

Part of the event this year was Brighton Pride’s #WeStandTogether campaign, which called for the LGBTQ+ community to campaign against all kinds of discrimination.

Specifically, organisers called for reform of the Gender Recognition Act (GRA), a trans-inclusive conversion therapy ban, greater awareness of worldwide LGBTQ+ human rights, and for the UK to be a safe haven for LGBTQ+ refugees.

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