Pride Month

Happy Pride Month to all LGBTQIA+ supporters.

LGBTQ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, Queer or Questioning.
More recently, I and A have been added to the acronym to represent Intersex and Asexual.
The + represents those not included in the original acronym, in terms of gender identity or sexual orientation e.g. Pan and Nonbinary.

Pride is not to be confused with LGBTQ+ History Month which is in February to coincide with the abolition of section 28 in 2003.

Section 28 was a law that prohibited the “promotion of homosexuality” and hindered education about homosexuality in schools. Introduced by Margaret Thatcher and her Conservative government in 1988 and then repealed by Tony Blair’s Labour in 2003 (this was after an earlier, unsuccessful attempt in 2000).

PRIDE

Pride is held in June to mark the anniversary of the Stonewall riots, a series of protests that happened in New York city after police attempted to raid the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar, in the early hours of June 28, 1969.
The confrontation sparked a gay rights uprising that grew year on year – including in other American cities and abroad – with each passing anniversary.
The Stonewall Inn is now a designated US national monument, and New York City Police issued an apology 50 years later in June 2019 for its officers’ actions back in 1969.

In the UK, inspired by this movement and founded in 1989 to lobby for equal rights for LGBT people, Stonewall is now the biggest LGBTQ+ rights organisation in Europe. Describing themselves as “a team of bold, passionate people fighting for the freedom, equity and potential of LGBTQ+ people everywhere.”

They stand for lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, questioning and ace (LGBTQ+) people everywhere. They imagine a world where all LGBTQ+ people are free to be themselves and can live their lives to the full.

Please view their list of organisations that can provide support and help HERE.
You can also ring the LGBT Switchboard every day 10am-10pm on 0300 330 0630 if you would like to talk to someone.
Contact them on FREEPHONE 0800 0502020, lines are open 9:30am – 4:30pm Monday to Friday (an answerphone is available outside these hours).
Email them at info@stonewall.org.uk.
Write to them at: Stonewall, 192 St. John Street, London, EC1V 4JY.

This is the 1st Pride Flag designed by Gilbert Baker, which appeared in 1977. Commissioned by a gay politician, he was inspired by Judy Garland’s ‘Over The Rainbow‘ and the colours symbolised the following: Hot pink for sex, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, turquoise for magic/art, indigo for serenity, and violet for spirit.
Click HERE to read an article published last month in Marie Claire showing the 30 Different Pride Flags and stating what each one represents.

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