Mayor Outed in 1994 Brings Pride to His Small Town

When Phil Webb became mayor of Wimborne Minster in 1994, two fellow councillors outed him to the press because they thought a gay man shouldn't lead their town. Today, at 67, he's bringing the town's first Pride celebration to life.

The headlines back then were brutal. "Mr Mayor Wants It Both Ways," screamed the News of the World. Webb had to tell his parents, who stood by him even as his father publicly said he disagreed with his son's "chosen lifestyle" but supported his right to serve.

Now Webb can laugh about those dark days. "People came over all queer in a sleepy town in Dorset when they found their mayor was bisexual," he joked, quoting the old coverage. But the experience changed everything for him and his community.

"People recognized me as the gay mayor and they were 100 percent supportive," Webb said. The controversy actually moved LGBTQ+ rights forward in Wimborne, he believes, taking one step back to leap three steps forward.

Three decades later, town crier Chris Brown approached Webb with a simple challenge: "You're the bloke to do it." With £650 in initial funding, Webb started planning Pride events for Wimborne, named Dorset's 2026 Town of Culture.

The first celebration will join the town's folk festival parade next month, complete with streamers, flags, stickers and music. Webb envisions a dedicated Pride event on the local green as the movement grows.

Not everyone is thrilled. Two men from a local church attended a planning meeting to object to including "sexual or gender orientations" in a family parade. But one woman's story silenced their concerns: she'd been walking through Wimborne with her trans son years ago when someone spat at them.

Why This Inspires

Webb's journey from scandal to celebration shows how far small towns can come in a generation. He met his partner David in 1998, and they were together for 22 years until David's death five years ago. Now he's ensuring the next generation won't face the same discrimination he did.

"It's not people like me who's older and more resilient who are suffering," Webb said. "It's the youngsters." He's especially concerned about trans people facing hate in 2025.

The former social worker hopes visibility will breed acceptance. Wimborne has always been tolerant and cultural, he insists, but Pride will make the LGBTQ+ community impossible to ignore.

From headlines that mocked him to organizing a parade that celebrates everyone, Webb proves that progress sometimes takes three decades and one determined person who refuses to give up.