Pride Month is celebrated in June each year to mark the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, a pivotal protest that changed the face of LGBTQ+ rights.
The global pandemic has impacted us all, but for some LGBTQ+ people, this meant returning to homes where they couldn’t be their authentic selves and not going to the places they felt safe. These challenges mean that celebrating Pride Month has been even more complicated: how can you celebrate being LGBTQ+ when you don’t feel #PrideOfPlace?
In the UK as we see places open up again, many countries are still in lockdown worldwide. Not only is this situation difficult for the LGBTQ+ community, the venues – the safe spaces – are struggling to pay rent, meaning we could be feeling the impact of the global pandemic for years to come.
In a time where progress is essential, not only for LGBTQ+ rights but also for the global pandemic, we could see the loss of the places we call home and regression in feeling we can be our authentic selves.
That’s why this year Pride Matters, Colt’s LGBTQ+ and allies network, are celebrating “Pride Of Place”. The bars, shops, towns and even train stations where we feel we can be our authentic selves.
This year I’m celebrating the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, an LGBTQ+ venue in south London. Since the end of World War Two, the bar has been a vital part of the LGBTQ+ community and has provided a safe space for LGBTQ+ people ever since.
Learn more about our #PrideOfPlace in our Pride Month video:
Jake Potter, Head of Social Media & Pride Matters Global Lead, Colt Technology Services
Colt Technology Services
14 June 2021
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