Is Pride woke?
Movie · 2014
Pride has a wokeness score of 8/10, which we rate as Strongly Ideological. Woke messaging is very prominent and often feels forced or shoehorned in. Characters and plot are primarily shaped to serve the ideology. Many viewers feel the agenda overshadows the entertainment.
Key points
- Promotes intersectional solidarity between LGBTQ activists and striking miners as model for progressive alliances against conservatives.
- Frames homophobia in working-class communities as prejudice to be overcome through activism and exposure.
- Centers unapologetic LGBTQ pride and identity politics as core to fighting Thatcher-era oppression and achieving social progress.
Wokeness analysis
The 2014 film Pride centers on the real-life Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (LGSM) campaign during the 1984-85 UK miners' strike under Margaret Thatcher. It portrays gay and lesbian activists as heroic figures building solidarity with working-class Welsh miners against shared conservative enemies like Thatcher, police, and tabloids. The narrative heavily emphasizes themes of overcoming homophobia, the power of intersectional alliances between marginalized groups, and unapologetic pride in LGBTQ identity as a form of resistance. Characters frequently deliver speeches framing support for miners as part of a broader fight against oppression, with prejudice from traditional communities depicted as bigotry to be conquered through exposure and activism. The story sidelines the miners' strike's economic and political failures to focus on cultural acceptance and the eventual inclusion of gay rights in Labour platforms, culminating in a triumphant Pride march with miners in support. This structure prioritizes ideological messaging about identity politics, solidarity across differences, and progressive social change over pure historical drama or entertainment. Conservative critiques note how it distorts the miners' story through a lens of identity politics, exaggerates prejudice-breaking impacts, and promotes a feel-good narrative of activism triumphing over traditional values. While entertaining with strong performances, the film feels message-driven, using plot and characters to advance commentary on equality, anti-conservatism, and the normalization of LGBTQ activism.
Plot
In 1984 London, young gay activist Mark Ashton inspires a group of lesbian and gay friends to form Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (LGSM) after realizing they share common adversaries with striking coal miners under Margaret Thatcher's government. The activists raise funds and travel to a Welsh mining village in Dulais Valley, where initial suspicion and homophobia give way to acceptance through shared struggles, cultural exchanges, and mutual support. The story follows characters like closeted Joe, flamboyant Jonathan, and village residents as prejudices dissolve, leading to lasting alliances. Despite the miners' eventual defeat, the film ends on a high note with miners marching in the 1985 London Pride parade. Based on true events, it blends comedy, drama, and historical elements to highlight unexpected unity.
Analyzed by AI on September 1, 2026