A business-owner has hit out after Darlington Borough Council banned the sale of her “politically charged merchandise” at Darlington Pride next month, despite it being allowed in previous years.
Megan Hemsley, from Darlington, sold a variety of pin badges at Darlington Pride in 2019 and 2021 with messages including: “Eat the rich”, “F*** the Tories”, “Tories kill”, and “No TERFS, Tories, T****”.
Megan told The Northern Echo that there were neither complaints from the public, nor from the council when she sold them at the event previously.
Alluding to the question pondered by many when Pride season comes round each year, of whether Pride is, at heart, a protest or a party, Megan said that by restricting the sale of this merchandise, the council-run Pride festival had aligned with the latter.
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The 24-year-old told The Northern Echo that organisers of the event have raised concerns that children might see a swear word.
The “Take Pride” business-owner has, however, argued that children could have easily been safeguarded by the badges being kept in a box or behind something that could only be opened at the request of an adult, instead of banning the sale completely.
Megan said: “I am aware that some people may take offence at a small swear word on a pin badge, but I’d ask them to take a long hard look in the mirror and consider which is more offensive; a word that has been in common usage in our language since the 16th century or a political party hell-bent on stoking a harmful culture war and erasing trans people?”
“As a queer business-owner in Darlington, considering Pride is the only queer event here, to have my products censored like this, just makes me think ‘what’s the point?’ It’s just a smack in the face.
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“It’s ridiculous for the council to allow me to sell badges that say “Trans Rights Now” but won’t allow me to sell political badges that express contempt for a party actively harming trans people.
“While Pride should of course be a space for all queer people to come together and celebrate their existence, it’s worrying that in order to have a stall at the event, traders must now be apolitical.
“Queerness has always been political, the rights we have today have been hard-won by our queer ancestors who protested governments in power that didn’t think we deserved the right to exist.
“My badges are a microscopic act of protest, colourful words on a bit of plastic, against a government hellbent on eradicating the rights of trans people.
“Saying that Pride is a safe space for everyone regardless of political party is just virtue signalling.”
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Megan has been selling these badges for four years and in 2021 was approached by a council worker to have a stall at the annual council-funded event.
It was, to date, one of Megan’s most well-received events, and the best-selling badges were from the range now banned by the council.
A spokesperson for Darlington Borough Council said: “Pride is an inclusive event, at which everyone should feel welcome, regardless of any factors including their political views.”
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