Pride Month is about LGBTQIA+ communities coming together in celebration and solidarity and is often marked with parades, protest marches, poetry readings, public speaking, educational / awareness raising sessions and many other events.
As well as celebrating, Pride Month is a time for the LGBTQIA+ community and allies to continue to raise awareness of the inequalities and discrimination faced by LGBTQIA+ people around the world and to campaign for equal rights and freedoms for all.
Celebrating Pride Month in an intersectional way is vital as it recognises that overlapping identities impact the experiences and lives of LGBTQIA+ people throughout history and today.
As examples, a woman who identifies as a lesbian may face a combination of homophobia and misogyny; people who identify as both LGBTQIA+ and an ethnic minority may suffer homophobia, biphobia or transphobia in combination with racism, while disabled members of the LGBTQIA+ community may also experience ableism. This further highlights why intersectional approaches to Pride Month are imperative for us as a community.
Queen Mary University of London are proud to be a university that opens the doors of opportunity to anyone with the potential to succeed. Queen Mary's work to create an inclusive environment for our LGBTQIA+ staff and students is underpinned in our People, Culture, and Inclusion Enabling Plan.
“Queen Mary University of London proudly celebrates and acknowledges the significance of marking Pride Month each year. It is one of the flagship events to be included in our Queen Mary Awareness and Inclusion Calendar, recognising its importance for our LGBTQIA+ community.
Dating back to the Stonewall Riots in New York City, June 1969, Pride Month is an opportunity to celebrate the voices of LGBTQIA+ people. It also serves as a time to reflect upon the challenges LGBTQIA+ people face while striving for equality, dignity and respect.
Pride is one of our core Queen Mary Values and we are indeed extremely proud of the diversity of our staff and student body. Throughout Pride Month and beyond, I invite you to consider how you can demonstrate good allyship to our LGBTQIA+ colleagues and students.
Please do take time to explore the programme of events, which are open to all in our community to attend. By standing together we can help to create a future where everyone can be proud to celebrate who they are."
- Dr Philippa Lloyd, Vice-Principal (Policy and Strategic Partnerships)