Colleagues smiling at PRIDE

Pride at NELFT

We are proud to be supporting, attending and celebrating Pride this year.

Awash with rainbows, colour, music and a party atmosphere it is hard not to be excited to be a part of it.

But what is Pride? How much do you know about its origins and why is it so important to the LGBTQ+ community?

Pride started as a protest called the Stonewall Riots which happened because police tried to raid the Stonewall Inn in New York. Pride Month honours those who were part of the most important gay rights protests and is a reminder that Pride can still fight for our rights. 1972 saw the first pride in London with 2000 participants , since then it has since grown into a massive celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community around the world. Whilst it is an opportunity to have fun, it is also a planned action for activists to fight for our human rights, to stop being ashamed and declare our pride for who we are.

These annual events show consistent demand for action and have been a stage for the campaigning of same sex marriage, racial justice and transgender rights. These parades also provide a safe space for those who live in societies, cultures and environments that pose a risk to their safety.

Resources and links

Queer people of colour / faith / migrants

Sarbat for LGBTQ+ Sikhs - (Community and peer support) - About — Sarbat Sikhs

Gay Indian Network - (Community and peer support) - Gay Indian Network London

Imaan for LGBTQ+ Muslims - (Community, peer support and wellbeing services) - Imaan – The UK's leading LGBTQ Muslim Charity (wordpress.com)

Pride without Borders (Legal and peer support for queer migrants) - LGBTQI+ - City of Sanctuary UK

BLKOUT UK - (Community for queer black men) - BLKOUTUK.COM – Black queer men #makingspaceforus

Trans and non-binary people

TransActual UK (Healthcare workers support, research) - TransActual

Mermaids - (Support for younger people) - Homepage - Mermaids (mermaidsuk.org.uk)

What the Trans?! - (Trans news) - What The Trans!? – News media for trans people

Gendered Intelligence - (Education, youth support and helpline) - Home | Gendered Intelligence

MindOut Trans and Non Binary (Mental Health and Wellbeing Services) - Trans and gender-diverse services - MindOut LGBTQ Mental Health

Older people

Age UKLGBT+ Groups & Support near me | Age UK

Out TogetherOut Together

Mind Out Age Matters - (Wellbeing support) - 50+ Project - MindOut LGBTQ Mental Health Service

General Resources

LGBT Foundation - (Befriending, LGBTQ+ dementia, hate crime reporting, helpline and email support, trans advocacy, talking therapies, sober sex, cost of living support, stop smoking, armed forces project, and more) - LGBT Foundation - Home

Galop - (Support for people who have experienced domestic and sexual abuse, hate crime, conversion therapy, forced marriage and other types of abuse) - Galop - the LGBT+ anti-abuse charity

London Friend - (Support for : coming out, drug & alcohol, chem sex, friends and family affected by chem sex, mental health, hate crime, social isolation, asylum seekers, counselling, helplines, apps & safety) - Home Page - London Friend

Stonewall Housing - (Housing advice line, safe and supported housing, mental health advocacy, specialist advice for those fleeing honour based violence, domestic abuse and forced marriage) - Stonewall Housing – Stonewall Housing LGBTQ+ Charity

LGBT Switchboard - (Information, support and referral service for lesbians, gay men and bisexual and trans people – and anyone considering issues around their sexuality and/or gender identity) - Switchboard LGBT+ Helpline

The BeYou Project - (Connecting LGBTQ+ young people (13-25) to meet, build community and socialise) - The BeYou Project - Porchlight