Letter: Gays enjoy the World Cup, too

MATTHEW BRACE'S "Gay revellers are divided by Pride" (Real Life, 21 June) helped clarify why I won't be at Pride this year. Lotty Fitzgerald for the organisers drove the point home when she said that Pride is "going to be more elaborate and camp than ever". Has it occurred to her, or the rest of the committee, that not every gay person gets off on the camp aspect of gay culture? I am sick of the gay association with all things Julian Clary. The image needs to be redefined and Pride should help to do this by challenging the public's precon-ceived idea of what is gay, instead of perpetuating the camp angle.

When I phoned Pride Events last week to find out if there would be any facility for watching the World Cup quarter finals that take place on the same day, I was practically laughed off the phone. But why shouldn't gays be interested in football? While the rest of the world strives for integration and equality, why does our Pride perpetuate segregation?I'll be making more of a statement by watching England in a pub full of heterosexuals and swooning when Shearer scores a goal.

David Bennett

djbennett@mail.easynet.co.uk