Tag: Pride Month

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Pride in London: Over 1 Million People Attend

Pride march
Vice Gay Liberation Front

Has Pride lost its purpose?

2022 marks the 50th anniversary of London Pride. In those decades, the LGBTQI+ community has made incredible advancements towards a more equal and inclusive society. But, they have also seen discrimination, persecution and even violence. 50 years on from the first gathering and there is still work to be done. Although, with over 1 million people in attendance, there was a feeling of solidarity and hope.

Pride March
London Pride Attendee (from Vice)

This year, Pride received 40,000 applications from the public and community groups to take part in the parade. With the slogan #AllOurPride, there was a theme of ‘looking back’ at the historic events that have changed our society for the better. In attendance were many famous faces, including Drag Queen the Vivienne and pop-sensation Ava Max – to name a few.

One of the many emotional moments came when members of the Gay Liberation Front marched, retracing the exact route of the very first Pride in 1972. One of the original organisers, Ted Brown, told Gay Times of his “strong sense of achievement,” when reflecting on a 50-year struggle. “We now have civil partnerships, we have gay marriage, we have legal protections and, most importantly, a significant proportion of lesbian, gay and trans people are proud of themselves and haven’t taken on the hate and the homophobia that’s been targeted at us for centuries,” he said.

Pride March
Pride (from Vice)

Peter Tatchell – who is one of the most prevalent LGBTQI+ and Human Rights campaigners – recalls the differences between today’s march, and that of 50 years ago, stating that the event “had no corporate sponsors, no police, no arms manufacturers, no fossil fuel companies and no Home Office.” In recent years, many activists argue that corporations have “taken over” pride, which has always been, and should remain, a protest. Others are happy to see familiar brands and businesses spouting messages of equality and inclusivity.

Although positive and packed with fun, the event was bittersweet, considering the horrific attacks on Oslo Pride last week, in which two people were killed and 21 injured. The attacks serve as a reminder of how modern and western societies are not free from homophobia and transphobia. We still have more work to do! Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, commented on the atrocities, “We’ve got to be conscious of the fact that there’s still a danger to this community of discrimination, bias and violence. But, allies like me are really important to support this community.” He continued, referencing London Pride, “We’re back after the last two and a half years or so. This year is the 50th anniversary of Pride, celebrating this community, celebrating the progress made, but also continuing to campaign and never be complacent.”

Pride March
Gay Liberation Front Member at Pride 2022 (from Vice)

Considering the rise in homophobia and transphobia in society in recent years, it is special to see young queer people drinking and dancing with their friends and loved ones. But, it’s equally as important to remember the struggle faced over the decades and the discrimination and violence that is still prevalent in our society today. At a time where Pride is becoming a ‘liberal bandwagon’, the original marchers of 1972 managed to anchor the event to its original purpose: a protest.

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Pride Month: Top UK Events Part Two

Hilton Pride Logo
Hilton Pride Logo © Hilton

Hilton collaborates with Pride 365 to prevent pinkwashing

We want to ensure that everybody feels comfortable and welcome in Hilton hotels, no matter their background or identity. With our open public support and promotion of the LGBTQ+ community 365 days a year—we hope to create real change.

So, to support Pride-goers across the country, we have gathered some more great Pride events to attend this year.

Bournemouth: 8th-9th July

This year, Bourne Free is set in the idyllic Meyrick Park, which means this will be their biggest Pride event ever. On July 8th attendees can expect a family-friendly atmosphere with ‘sensory areas’ and ‘educational areas’. Then, on the 9th, a parade will take place with an eco-friendly theme: ‘Pride goes Green’. Hilton Bournemouth is in the Town Centre, which is only a 5-minute walk away from their weekly Westover Art and Makers Market. 

Cambridge: Saturday 9th July

Cambridge welcomes attendees for a free day-long celebration of local DJs, comedy, poetry and yoga. There are alcohol-free spaces for under 25s to relax and where you can show off your baking skills at the Great British Queer Bake Off. Take your cake back to Hilton Cambridge City Centre to feast on and maybe share with us if you’re feeling generous. If you prefer the idea of a relaxing and wholesome event, this one’s for you. 

Hilton Pride March
Hilton Pride March © Hilton

Birmingham: 23rd-25th September 

This year, Birmingham is celebrating its 25th Pride anniversary and has an unmissable line-up in store. If you haven’t been to Birmingham before, this is the best time to shop, dine and party. The heart of the Pride Village has a family-friendly and accessible area so everybody can join in the fun. When you’re ready to recharge, Hilton Birmingham Metropole is a 25-minute uber away from the heavy beats of the dance arena. 

London: 2nd July 

Shoreditch will never disappoint with its LGBT-friendly atmosphere. Grab a drink at The Glory pub and watch their enchanting entertainers. Have a stay in our award-winning Hart Shoreditch Hotel London, Curio Collection by Hilton, for a luxurious night’s sleep. 

Or, if you prefer to be at the centre of busy city life, stay with us at Hilton London Bankside. It’s only a half-hour tube away from Soho, London’s hottest LGBT district. You can always have a break from the festivities and drop into Tate Modern to experience their new ‘Surrealism Beyond Borders’ exhibition, which is less than a 5-minute walk away. 

And, if you just can’t get enough of Pride, see Hilton’s first blog post to find out what made the top five. 

Looking for somewhere else to go for during 2022? We will take care of you: https://explore.hilton.com/lp/Pride22

Find out more about our Pride 365 commitments: https://pride365.world/partners/hilton/

 

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Arca: The Revolutionary Trans Artist Documenting Her Transition Through Music

Arca PopTown

Once a behind-the-scenes producer, Arca is ready to put a face to her wild work

Arca is behind some of the most revolutionary music releases in the modern era, working with artists such as Kanye West, Frank Ocean, The Weeknd, Rosalia, Sia, FKA Twigs and more. Now based in Barcelona, Arca is a multitalented artist, who is also a composer, rapper, DJ, and producer. Her sound is often described as a “chaotic” blend of electronic, hip-hop, avant-pop and reggaeton, which meant that Arca’s audience was limited, but nevertheless, loyal. Nowadays, Arca produces mostly for herself, stepping away from the overwhelming mishmash of genres, for a more accessible sound.

Arca Press Image
Arca from Numero Twic

Arca was born in Caracas, Venezuela, as Alejandro Ghersi. In 2018, Arca emerged as non-binary but later realised that she identifies as a trans woman. In an interview with Vice Magazine in 2020, Arca reflected on her journey of self-discovery, “I see my gender identity as non-binary, and I identify as a trans-Latina woman, and yet, I don’t want to encourage anyone to think that my gayness has been banished. And when I talk about gayness, it’s funny because I’m not thinking about who I’m attracted to. It’s a form of cultural production that is individual and collective, which I don’t ever want to renounce.” In the past couple of years, Arca has infused her transition into her art.

The Kick series is a collection of 5 studio albums, all released between 2020 and 2021. The title of the quintet relates to a baby’s kick whilst in the womb of its mother. In an interview with ID Magazine, Arca goes into detail, “The first image that comes to mind when I think of the word ‘kick’ is a prenatal kick; that instance of individuation, that unmistakable moment where parents realise their baby is not under their control but has its own will to live, its own impulses that are erratic and unpredictable, separate to their own. I think later we have a hard time distancing ourselves from authority and disagreeing with the top-down system that we perpetuate. So this is celebrating the moment of disagreement that is an expression of feeling alive. The baby doesn’t think about kicking, it kicks because it’s a vital impulse: there’s no malice in it.” The concept of the album clearly reflects Arca’s transition and the birth of a new life and identity.

The Kick series was a great success in that it presented Arca with a new audience. Before Kick, Arca’s music had very few vocals, and tracks had a very unusual structure. These qualities often meant that the music was unable to find a home. But with Kick, the songs resemble more traditional song structures and consist of pop, hip-hop and reggaeton melodies: translating into some healthy streaming statistics.

Now that the Kick series is over, Arca has returned to producing for other artists who fall in a similar sub-genre. This week, English rapper ShyGirl released her new single, Come For Me, produced by none other than Arca herself. Arca’s in demand and her unique production qualities have meant that over the years, she has undoubtedly helped shape the musical scene, especially in relation to the popularisation of experimental, industrial and hyper pop.

Arca Press Image
Arca from New York Times

Recently, Arca has made her transition, the focus of her music and artform. In doing so, Arca has successfully bridged the gap between a behind-the-scenes producer, and a front and centre artist. Despite this intentional journey, it is clear that Arca is more concerned about producing quality, boundary-pushing art, rather than becoming mainstream. In an interview with VOS, she states, “I want to be seen as an ecosystem of minor self-states without being stripped of the dignity of being a whole. It gives me the feeling of possibility, to not allow for easy categorization. I wouldn’t want to just go pop, and I wouldn’t want to go full experimentalist.”

The goal for Arca is to create a separate but detached utopia that she can fit into, but others can also relate to. And in order to achieve this, gender norms and boundaries must be deconstructed. “That’s where a nonbinary mode of thinking feels really fertile. It opens possibilities rather than collapsing things. Allowing for change without resisting it.” Arca isn’t interested in creating pop. She wants to create a whole new universe.

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Pride Coin: Royal Mint UK Release Rainbow 50p to Mark Anniversary

Royal Mint Pride Coin
Pride Coin © Royal Mint

Pride in London Release Themed 50p Pride coin

In commemoration of the first UK Pride event, which took place in 1972, The Royal Mint UK has partnered with not-for-profit organisation Pride in London to release a themed 50p pride coin. Pride began when the original Pride march in solidarity with those involved in the Stonewall Riots of New York took place in 1972.

The coin, designed by Dominique Holmes, will not be in circulation. Rather, it was designed to commemorate 50 Years of Pride in the UK. As a coin of commemoration, it will only be available for purchase from the official Royal Mint’s website from early June 2022. Additionally, as part of the launch of the coin, the Royal Mint will make a sizeable donation to Pride in London. 

The coin’s design reflects the infamous and undoubtedly important Rainbow Flag, designed by Gilbert Baker in 1978, which has since become a symbol of strength and of course, pride, for the LGBTQ+ community. Holmes himself stated, “My aim with this design was to evoke images of the original Pride marches – the hand-made placards and protest signs calling out the demands of the brave LGBT+ people who were taking to the streets to fight for their rights.”

Pride Coin
Pride Coin © Royal Mint

The coin also features the words ‘Protest’, ‘Visibility’, ‘Unity’, and ‘Equality’ which have acted as long-term aims and represent the core of the movement. Underneath is a newer feature of the well-known Rainbow Flag. On the bottom of the coin, is an arrow coloured in shades to represent LGBTQ+ people of colour and transgender individuals. These were colours added to the Rainbow Flag by graphic designer Daniel Quasar to emphasise “inclusion and progression”, which has now been accepted internationally as an updated and more accepted version of the flag. Consequently, making it an important and necessary feature on the coin. 

“It may have taken 50 years to get here, but we are now a country which not only recognises the fundamental human rights of LGBT+ people but celebrates them via one of the most accessible links between our state and its people – our currency.”

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Remembering the Admiral Duncan Soho Pub Bombing

Admiral Duncan the Guardian

23 years on, it’s important not to forget the Admiral Duncan bombing

Tucked away in the bustling Old Compton Street in Central London is a narrow, inconspicuous pub called the Admiral Duncan. At first glance, it looks nothing out of the ordinary. But, if you focus in on the little blue plaque, you may be surprised to read, “3 people killed, 70 injured by a Neo-Nazi bomber.” This is a story of a friendly pub, with a horrific history.

The Admiral Duncan 20 years on from Pink News
The Admiral Duncan 20 years on from Pink News

30th April 1999, it was early Friday evening, and the pub was starting to get busy. Local, mostly Gay men, were pilling into the Admiral Duncan to see friends, drink, dance and enjoy an evening of feeling free in their local sanctuary. A routine night suddenly turned into a tragedy when 22-year old David Copeland rested a sports bag down in the bar. Inside it was a bomb, containing 1,500 nails.

Jonathan Cash, who was 30 at the time, told the BBC in an interview commemorating the bombings that on the night he had suspicions. “My foot touched a large sports bag which was on the floor. I ordered a drink and, thinking about the bag, assumed it belonged to someone. I can remember weighing up the possibility that it might be a bomb thinking, ‘but these things only happen to other people.”

Then, at 18:37, the bomb suddenly exploded. Jonathan, recalled, “The next thing I knew, I was on my hands and knees in front of a shop window. I stared at my reflection, unable to recognise myself. My hair was thick with yellow dirt. I noticed I had left a trail of blood behind me, but I wasn’t aware of any injuries.” Despite the psychological trauma, Jonathan made a full recovery. Sadly, Andrea Dykes, 27, Nick Moore, 31 and 31-year-old, John Light were not so lucky.

Scenes from the Admiral Duncan Bombing
Aftermath of the bombings, from Attitude Magazine

When the bomb ripped through the Soho streets, Copeland was still in the area, close enough to hear the cries of the victims. Copeland’s obsession with Hitler, Nazism and right-wing politics was enough to determine that the purpose of the attack was to wreak as much havoc as possible. Copeland was known to the police due to his previous bomb attacks in the Brixton and Brick Lane in the weeks preceding the event. The locations chosen were concluded to have been deliberate, in an attempt to stir up ethnic and homophobic tensions.

A year later, Copeland pleaded guilty to manslaughter, but not murder. On June 30th, Copeland was convicted of three counts of murder, and so, given 6 life sentences. In the trial, Copeland’s mental state was investigated at Broadmoor hospital, of which five psychiatrists diagnosed him as having paranoid schizophrenia and a personality disorder. Fortunately, the diagnoses weren’t serious enough to avoid a charge of murder.

Equally as shocking are the displays of homophobia during the attacks. That fatal night, back in April 1999, Jonathan Cash recalled the disturbing moment when he heard a woman dishing out homophobic slurs in the immediate aftermath of the attack, “I remember a girl in her early 20s appeared from a neighboring pub, grinning with a pint in her hand.” Cash told BBC Newsnight that she said she “wanted to get a better view.”

 

Despite the horrific attack, homophobia did not lessen in the years that followed. 5 years on, David Morely, who survived the fatal night at the Admiral Duncan, was chatting away with his friend on a bench by the river Thames. They were sitting there for three hours when a gang of youths appeared. In seconds, David and his friend were attacked by a stream of punches and kicks, knocking them immediately unconscious. David’s friend eventually came to and frantically searched for help. David suffered 40 blows, fractured ribs and a ruptured spleen. He sadly passed away from his injuries.

Detective Chief Inspector Nick Scola, who was leading the enquiry into the murder said that there were no homophobic shouts during the attack, but this did not rule out the homophobic intent of the perpetrators as the location was near serval gay entertainment venues, including the LGBTQ+ nightclub, Heaven. Ken Livingstone, who was the mayor at the time, released a statement:  “London’s lesbian and gay community and visitors to the city must be totally free of fear of hate crime. The Metropolitan police will have my full support in bringing the thugs who murdered Mr Morley to justice.” David Morley’s case serves as an example of how the queer community can’t afford to be complacent. We must remain on guard in the fight against discrimination, as an unexpected tragedy could just be around the corner.

The Admiral Duncan Bombing
Memorial of the bombing from the Huffington Post

Two decades on from the Admiral Duncan bombings and, agonisingly, we are still experiencing homophobia in our capital and in our towns and cities. In 2020 and 2021, the Metropolitan Police recorded 2,928 sexual orientation hate crimes in London alone, including a string of murders of innocent queer people. The attacks should serve as a reminder that homophobia and transphobia should not be left to fester in our societies, as it often has fatal consequences.

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Being LGBT in Uzbekistan – Meet Shokhruh Salimov Who was Tortured for his Sexuality

Now in exile, Shokhruh Salimov shares his story of growing up LGBT in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is a nightmare for queer people. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan were the only Central Asian states not to decriminalise homosexuality. Since then, there has been a constant stream of attacks from government and society toward queer Uzbeks. So much so, that the LGBTQ+ international group, ILGA, consistently rank Uzbekistan as amongst the lowest nations in the world in terms of acceptance. 

These shocking statistics translate into fatal tragedies. In September of 2019, 25-year-old, Shokir Shavkatov was murdered just days after coming out via an Instagram post. His body was discovered in his apartment in Tashkent. This is just one of many abhorrent cases in the past couple of years alone.

Growing up LGBT in Uzbekistan - Shokir Shavkatov
Shokir Shavkatov’s Instagram post. From RFEL

Uzbek leader, Islam Karimov, who led the country for 27 years, died in 2016. Shortly before his passing, Karimov made a rare comment on Uzbekistan’s LGBTQ+ community, stating that they “have some deviation in their heads.” This fanned the flames of pre-existing hatred towards those who are LGBT in Uzbekistan. Shokhruh Salimov is one of many caught up in the aftermath of the toxic political discourse.

Shokhruh Salimov: LGBT in Uzbekistan

Chapter Z: Thank you for agreeing to this interview, and for sharing your story. First of all, how are you?

Shokhruh: My situation is not very good. How can I be in this situation? At the moment I am a refugee in Turkey. I was born in a conservative family in the Kaskadarya province of Uzbekistan. I spent my childhood hiding my sexual orientation.

Chapter Z: And can you describe the situation for Queer people in Uzbekistan?

Shokhruh: Homophobia in the society of Uzbekistan is so strong that artists, actors, singers and politicians continue the spread of homophobia, instead of fighting it. They approve of it and actively participate in its spread.

Chapter Z: Did you ever come out?

Shokhruh: At the age of 13 and 14, I completely admitted that I was bisexual. It is not easy to accept sexual orientation in our society. You hear the homophobic words of those around you all the time, you are exposed to their sexist attitudes. In this case, it is very difficult for you to accept yourself and remain psychologically strong.

Chapter Z: Uzbekistan actively attempts to erase queer people from society. When LGBTQ+ issues arise in debate or conversation, it tends to be negative. So, did you struggle to understand your sexuality? Did you know who you were or what you were feeling when you had no role models or understanding that queer people exist?

Shokhruh: At first, it seemed like I was the only one different. Then I made friends like myself. But even having gay friends in Uzbekistan is risky. As I was aware of this, I didn’t have many friends. I have been living abroad since I was 18 years old. I always knew about Uzbekistan’s hostile attitude towards us. They never accepted us, I always live dwith threats. I received threats from homophobic people, the state of Uzbekistan and radical Islamists.

Chapter Z: Is there any support at all? What about the underground?

Shokhruh: In Uzbekistan, LGBT people can get free counselling on HIV/STI issues and free psychological and legal counselling. But not everyone has access to such types of support and assistance due to the low level of awareness and the lack of safe information mechanisms. Due to tremendous pressure from law enforcement officials and ordinary homophobic people, LGBT people are doomed to live in secrecy and are even when faced with cases of violence and discrimination. Most LGBT people are afraid to go anywhere because there are few people who will understand and support them.

Chapter Z: Your face and name became public when you made a video statement calling on the president of Uzbekistan to address the disgusting treatment of its LGBTQ+ community. How did this come about?

Shokhruh: In August 2018, I came to Turkey. The reason for my escape from Uzbekistan was the case in which I was framed by law enforcement officers. I was convicted under Article 120 (sodomy) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan and became a victim of cruel torture by the police officers. They put the strongest moral and psychological pressure on me in order to get contacts of other LGBT people from me. They also had my personal data, with the help of which they could easily put me in prison, this became the reason for my immediate escape from Uzbekistan.

During sexual intercourse with my partner, officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs broke into our apartment with cameras in their hands, they filmed everything that was happening and I was arrested under article 120 of the UKRUz (sodomy). After my arrest, I became a victim of torture, after which I developed significant psychological trauma. After the torture, they announced that if I did not pay them $2000, they would have to put me in jail. I gave this money and left Uzbekistan, but my personal data and the video, on the basis of which I was arrested, remained with them.

Last year, I turned to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev through Radio Ozodlik, demanding to stop the manifestation of homophobia against LGBT people and to protect them. After my video message, a group of Interior Ministry officers came to my home in Uzbekistan and told my family about their intention to return me from Turkey back to Uzbekistan.

Chapter Z: You have been through a lot. Do you have any optimism for the future of queer people in Uzbekistan?

Shokhruh: I believe that sooner or later the law that punishes homosexuals in Uzbekistan will disappear. As long as we continue the struggle and stay brave, we will achieve this together.

Disclaimer

Shokhruh was asked if he wanted his identity protected for the sake of his family in Uzbekistan. Sadly, Shokhruh’s family share the same hostility and homophobia as the government. 

If any of the topics discussed in this article have affected you, please access or reach out to an online resource such as Big White Wall.

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Pride Month 2022: How To Get Ready For Pride Month This June

Pride Month Banner

What are your pride plans?

LGBTQ+ month has kicked off with a bang; Jake Daniels has been the first professional football to come out in thirty-two years and the Church of Scotland has recently allowed same-sex couples to marry in official church ceremonies. With the UK marking fifty years of the Pride movement, what should you know before diving into those pride celebrations?

Here’s everything you need:

When is Pride Month 2022?

Pride Month is celebrated in June of every year and is for members of the LGBTQ+ community to celebrate their identities and accomplishments as well as acknowledge their struggles and where we are in the fight for equality. 

LGBTQ+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer or Questioning. The plus allows room for other identities not covered by the acronym, and some people add I and A to stand for intersex and asexual. 

Pride Banner
Pride Banner © Vecteezy

How To Celebrate This Year

There are a variety of different ways you can celebrate Pride. Many companies and brands host different events during the month that you can go along to or you can find time to volunteer at a local LGBTQ+ non-profit. Reading widely around queer studies material can help you engage with new ideas around LGBTQ+ culture and learn things about the history of Pride that you didn’t know, while also supporting LGBTQ+ authors and learning about the issues with ‘rainbow-washing’ can be one way to help support the community if you’re an ally. 

LGBTQ pride is traditionally associated with parades, protests, drag performances, memorials, celebrations and a coming together for members of the community lost to the AIDS crisis. It’s usually a combination of both political activism and celebration for the community. For members of the LGBTQ+ community who want to participate in such events, there are many main Pride events throughout the month, including in prominent cities in the UK such as London, Birmingham and Brighton. For those who want to go further afield, it’s relatively easy to find Pride events in any major city around the globe.

It’s important to remember to protect every member of the LGBTQ+ community and acknowledge that Pride events may not always be accessible, safe or feel welcoming to all groups of people and not to push people to be out of their comfort zone or into coming out. 

Pride Graphic
Pride Graphic © Vecteezy

Why Do We Celebrate Pride Month?

Pride Month takes place during June each year to acknowledge the police raid that prompted the Stonewall riots, which led to the establishment of LGBTQ+ rights as well as paving the way for other movements in different intersections. 

The Stonewall riots occurred on June 28, 1969, when police raided a popular gay bar in N.Y.C.’s West Village called The Stonewall Inn. The LGBTQ+ community, including prominent names such as Marsha P. Johnson and Silvia Riviera, protested the raid, which served as a catalyst for calling for equal rights for the LGBTQ+ community in the US, and later on the world. The Stonewall Inn has since been declared a historic landmark in 2015 and was later decreed a national monument by President Barack Obama in 2016. 

Now, we both commemorate and celebrate LGBTQ+ activism throughout the years, engaging in literature, art, music, film, protests, events and gatherings to celebrate all identities within the community. The traditional rainbow flag is often used as a symbol of LGBTQ+ Pride, though has now become more synonymous with Gay Pride and those who have other identities sometimes celebrate using different variations of the flag. In 2021, the flag was altered in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter protest, and now often shows blue and pink to include the trans flag.

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The Commercialisation of Pride

It’s the first week of Pride month – let’s not forget the true origins of this celebration

Pride started out as a riot, a revolution and a call for justice. The Stonewall Riots weren’t the first time LGBTQ+ people stood up to the police, but they are certainly the best remembered, and they led to the creation of what we now call Pride.

On a hot summer night in Greenwich Village, police raided the Stonewall Inn arresting patrons and forcing them into police vehicles. Then, onlookers started fighting back, forcing the homophobic cops to retreat. The street riots continued over the next few nights. Following the Stonewall Riots, organisers wanted to keep up the spirit of resistance. The following year, they organised a march to Central Park and adopted the theme of ‘Gay Pride’ countering the shame they had been taught to feel.

First Ever Pride March
© cnn.com

Nowadays, Pride Month takes place every year in June, with marches, parties and events taking place up and down the country. Each year it gets bigger and bigger, and in order to keep growing, it needs financial support. This is where the big brands come in. Up and down every high street you’ll see rainbow flags outside almost every shop window and whilst the support and money are great, what exactly are these brands doing for the LGBTQ+ community for the other 51 weeks of the year?

It’s inevitable that at London Pride you’ll see logos for Barclays, HSBC, Starbucks, Nando’s – all the big names are there. Even the politicians like to get involved, including the ones who do not have LGBTQ+ rights on their agenda most of the time. As capitalism gets worse, there’s a risk queer liberation will be forgotten. With people donning themselves in the rainbow flag, it can be easy to forget why we have Pride in the first place.

Some things to consider when engaging with brands during Pride Month: firstly, where is your money going? The goal of a Pride campaign ultimately is to sell something so money is made. Where does that money go? Is the brand donating some, if not all, of their profits to something that benefits the LGBTQ+ community? If a brand is making money off a marginalised community and keeping the profits for themselves, they are not there to support the cause and aren’t worth your support. Do they hire and pay LGBTQ+ people fairly? When the month is over, will that brand continue to support the community regardless of whether it’s convenient or profitable for them?

Pride March
© vox.com

Whilst everyone loves a party and the opportunity to celebrate, it’s important to remember that Pride was not born of a need to celebrate being gay, but instead, it is a fight for the right to exist without persecution. Pride began as a riot and with injustices still taking place around the world, the fight is not over.