Pride Month in the UK
In the UK, June is known as Pride Month, celebrating and honoring the diverse rainbow of LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, and Asexual) individuals and their awe-inspiring stories.
Let’s dive into the vibrant world of pride, exploring why these celebrations are vital for nurturing empathy, respect, and love for all.
Just like race and religion, sexual orientation and gender are protected characteristics under UK law. This means these are protected against discrimination. However, crimes committed due to prejudice and phobia (known as Hate Crimes) still happen in the UK. Between 2022 and 2023, 145,214 hate crimes were reported in the UK and Wales. The reported reasons behind these include attacks against many of the protected characteristics in the UK.
In recent years, LGBTQIA+ rights and issues have become more openly discussed topics in politics and media in the UK. While this has had many positives, this rise in awareness helps to raise the profile of stories, making many members of the LGBTQIA+ community feel more comfortable and help to improve the lives of many more.
Learning about different lifestyles is a great way to encourage acceptance and understanding within communities. Ways to encourage acceptance and equality include having equal opportunities for any applicant at a company, having environments in which open conversation can be encouraged and promoting inclusion in schools, colleges and universities.
Pride can act as this open space. It makes people within the LGBTQIA+ community feel recognized, safe and included. The visibility that comes from the celebrations and parades from around the country adds to a feeling of acceptance. It also helps to highlight issues that people may be facing and brings more attention to them.
For those outside the LGBTQ+ community, Pride can be a great time to interact and gain an understanding. Overall, Pride is a great way to gain more knowledge on the LGBTQIA+ Community and become more informed.
The reason it is important to be informed, is that creates an inclusive and welcoming environment, which can help remove stigmas and prejudices. It also allows more voices to be added to conversations, such as in universities, business, politics, and ensure that communities and background are considered when decisions are made.
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