Celebrating Pride Month

Happy Pride Month!?

Each June the YS team celebrates Pride month by sharing, learning and celebrating everything LGBTQ+. To kick off, we asked YS team members to share what Pride means to them...

Howard Sullivan, YS Founder

Pride describe their mission as ‘to help build a world where no person will have to sacrifice their family or freedom, safety or dignity, because or who they are of who they love.’

For me, Pride is a chance to truly acknowledge a whole legacy of incredible people, without whose bravery in fighting against oppression we wouldn’t be where we are today. This photo was taken at the 50th anniversary of The Stonewall Inn Riots, which took place in 1969. This was a time where the allegiance of queer and trans people galvanised and fought back against the police and the establishment. Only three years before, it was still legal in America for bars to turn people away if they presented as gay.

Allegiance is such a key word, and for me is at the heart of Pride. The Stonewall uprising took place in the context of broader civil rights movements. The Revolutionary People's Constitutional Convention in 1970 was a key moment in which activists from Black Power, feminist and gay liberation movements came together, saw common cause and learned from each other.

Today being gay is still illegal in 71 countries worldwide, over half of which are in the Commonwealth. 11 countries still impose the death penalty including Iran, Northern Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Yemen, Afghanistan, Brunei, Mauritania, Pakistan, Qatar and UAE.?

As the world polarises and right wing extremism builds momentum, it’s even more important we take stock and action; holding countries and organisations to account if they aren’t behaving fairly.?

Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. We must embrace togetherness, celebrate the full spectrum of humankind, and fight to ensure no one is ever made to feel like they don’t belong or can’t express their true colours with pride.

Tara Naismith, Senior Experience Designer, YS Melbourne

Pride to me is all about supporting and celebrating all my friends & family in the LGBTQIA+ community.?It is an amazing celebration of inclusivity and freedom for everyone to be their true authentic self. Love is love!

Andrew Saperstone, Project Manager, YS London

The recognition of Pride in a mainstream way is something to be celebrated. What pride means to me is the normalisation of what it means to be LGBT.?

One day, we might not even need a pride month because it’ll be so commonplace and I hope we can get to that point. In the meantime, it’s important we celebrate how far we’ve come as a society in acceptance. Still, there’s much more to be done, and places that are actually going backwards in human rights and that’s TRULY why Pride month is more important than ever.?

To remember those who still face adversity every day in the community - people who were born into situations they didn’t choose, but have to find a way to peacefully live their life. That’s what Pride month means to me.?

Natalie Yung, Project Coordinator, YS London

Pride to me is everything and also nothing.?

It’s everything because it has a greater purpose and power than simply shining a light for the LGBT community but also POC as well! It helps fight the stereotype of POC, being an anchor and stepping stone to pave a way for a safer space. And to bridge the difference with understanding and acceptance.

It’s also nothing as I hope one day we can build a society where being LGBT+ will be the norm, it’ll simply be like the breaths we take every minute of our lives.

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This year marks 50 years of Pride in the UK. For more information visit the Stonewall website.