An LGBTQ+ Icon

By Shea Coffey from Medway Pride Radio

It is not often you get to spend time with (albeit by Zoom) one of the founding fathers of the modern LGBTQ+ movement, but Mark Segal is that person. Mark was at the Stonewall Inn on the night of the infamous riot, an event he describes as the “happiest riot in history”. Mark was there for the first parade/Pride and, among many other achievements, crashed Walter Cronkite while his news report was live on air.

More than that he is both proud and incredibly supportive of the community. Recently he embarked on a speaking tour of Europe, and I was keen to catch up with him to ask how he found it.

“I went through six countries in 12 days,” says Mark. “A year and a half ago, the US embassy in Warsaw asked me to come and speak to local LGBTQ+ activists, but due to Covid the trip was postponed. About four months ago, they live streamed me to the embassy via Zoom and were able to broadcast it out to universities across Poland from there. I built the speech around Stonewall and the first Gay Pride and what we had to do to gain the freedoms that we now have in the United States. I saw it as sort of a pep talk, but the questions I got back sort of opened my eyes to what was going on there.”

Mark goes on to explain: “I have a passion for travel and history and at my age (70) I wanted to see if I could still do such a strenuous trip. So, when another offer to speak came, this time in Luxembourg, I said yes!”

It’s clear that one of deciding factors in agreeing to do this trip was the chance to meet Prime Minister Xavier Bettel. “It was sort of amazing, if you think where I come from aged 18 years old, I never thought there would be a gay Prime Minister of any country, let alone have them welcome me officially to a country.”

There is always a charming wide-eyed wonder to Mark, who can count presidents among his friends, and it is no doubt this wonder and the life journey that he has been on that keeps his feet on the ground. He talks warmly of the reception he received, of the people he met and seems a little sad that all too soon it was time to move on with two speaking engagements in Lithuania.

“Both again speaking about my personal experience and the LGBTQ+ history of the US, I couldn’t speak for other countries. What was interesting to me is the knowledge they had of the LGBTQ+ history and how they had embraced Stonewall and Pride as their own, that sent a chill down my back, I was thrilled.”

Mark pauses before continuing: “I often like to say that the best export the US LGBTQ+ community ever gave the world is Pride and I got to see that in action.”

However, Mark pulls no punches in what he described as “the looming threat from Russia” on everyday rights. “It became clear to me that this is an everyday feeling by people in the Baltic States, and while this is not about LGBTQ+ rights, the history and influence that still hangs over the Baltic states from Russia. The right wing in the region, similar to Poland, is looking at anti-propaganda legislation which ends visibility.”

Visibility has always been Mark’s buzzword; Stonewall, Pride, crashing the Cronkite broadcast, these all created visibility in the States. “They are trying to take away our best tool, if you can’t talk about LGBTQ+ or can’t be seen, and this is happening primarily in countries that are ex-Russia satellites or are extremely religious.”

“I often like to say that the best export the US LGBTQ+ community ever gave the world is Pride and I got to see that in action”

I am really interested in his use of the word ‘our’, not ‘their’ – he clearly sees this as his fight despite living a continent away. Mark explains: “It’s the internet age, you can ban these things in your country, but the people of Hungry and Poland are going to get the news and shows on the net. I know that they [the Turkish government] tried it in Turkey, but the people came out and demonstrated, risking imprisonment.” Mark casts great doubt on any country’s ability to stop the forward progress of LGBTQ+ rights.

“They crack down on things here, so the people pop up there, it’s like a game we have in my country called Whack-A-Mole.” It becomes apparent that when he used the word OUR he meant it. “I am very thrilled that the US is in the fight for rights with these people, I’d like to go to Hungary and Turkey and march with them. I hope I get to do that.”

The hour we have scheduled flies by, we haven’t spoken for a while and I am enjoying the chance to catch up, but what shines through is the half-dozen projects he is currently juggling, and the opportunities, such as marching in Prides in Hungary and Turkey, that Mark is hoping to seize.

His enthusiasm and joie de vivre belie his 70 years and the LGBTQ+ community is a better place for it.