The fact that there aren't any rainbow flags, music or semi clad bodies simply shows how repressed gays were in 1981.This was during the time of a Tory Government that later introduced Clause 28 which said local councils should not spend money on anything to intentionally promote homosexuality, or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality. They should also not promote the teaching in any maintained school, of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship.
In the 80s and early 90s the age of consent was 21 for gays. This created problems when the age for pub drinking was only 18. There'd be frequent police raids in gay bars and you'd be asked who you were planning on meeting and what your intentions were. The police found it all highly hilarious and often made derogatory comments. Thankfully they're the complete opposite now. There were also undercover police operating too. The age of consent was reduced to 18 in 1994 and then finally to 16 in 2000.
One of my older friends in the 90s had been sacked from Debenhams in the 60s simply because it was found out that he was living with another man.
Then of course, added to this, you had the emergence of AIDS which was untreatable at the time and called the 'gay plague' and 'God's revenge'
No wonder gay marches were so glum at the time! I miss the cameraderie that I found in the late 80s and 90s though, and our exclusive bars.