LGBTQ+ Pride Month at Sue Ryder
In the UK and in many countries around the world, June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month, when people come together to fight for the freedom and equality of every LGBTQ+ person.
What are our plans for LGBTQ+ Pride Month at Sue Ryder?
This year, Sue Ryder will be attending Pride marches up and down the country, to support our LGBTQ+ colleagues and celebrate with the local LGBTQ+ community.
We want to promote the inclusivity within our organisation, and we hope that by having a visible presence in the community, we’ll feel like somewhere that LGBTQ+ people can come to us to work and volunteer, and for support and care.
You can sign up to attend marches in your local area using this simple form.
Online Pride Month events
We also have some online Pride Month events that we would love to see you at.
- Come along to the LGBTQ+ Network’s Culture Club event: This is an informal online group which brings together the LGBTQ+ community and allies to celebrate LGBTQ+ culture. All staff and volunteers are welcome to attend. LGBTQ+ Pride Month’s Culture Club will take place on Wednesday 25th June from Midday until 12.45pm. Please email bluebell.valentine@sueryder.org to request an invite.
- Register for the LGBTQ+ Network Pride Speaker session: PK Kulasegram, from Simply Equality, will deliver a one-hour virtual talk drawing on lived and professional experience of LGBTQIA+ inclusion, the history of pride and its importance in the modern day, bringing in intersectionality along with practical tips on how to be an ally. The session takes place on Tuesday 24th June from Midday until 1.00pm. Register on our Learning Hub
How did the tradition of Pride events start?
LGBTQ+ Pride is about communities coming together in celebration, protest and unity.
In every community in the UK, and around the world, LGBTQ+ people are still not able to be themselves and are having to fight for their rights. This includes over 65 countries that still criminalize LGBTQ+ identities. For some LGBTQ+ people, life can be more difficult, due to experiencing other forms of discrimination alongside homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, for example, racism or sexism, or through having a disability or experiencing poor mental health.
Over Pride Season, people come together – in communities, in schools and workplaces, online and on the streets – to fight for the freedom and equity of every LGBTQ+ person. We celebrate who we are, we celebrate progress, we fight for freedom and we stand together across our movement.
For a lot of LGBTQ+ people, Pride celebrations are extremely validating and liberating. For some LGBTQ+ people, it’s the only part of the year they can truly be themselves.