This June, the FXC team came together in the office for a presentation on what Pride month is all about, where it comes from and why it is so important. 

Below are some of the highlights from our discussion. 

What is Pride?

Pride is a month dedicated to celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community, while raising awareness of some of the biggest issues facing this community. 

Pride month is usually commemorated through:

What does LGBTQIA+ stand for?

The acronym has changed over the years to become more inclusive and now includes the “+” symbol to mean “and others” for people of all identities that aren’t covered by the other letters. Having said that, here’s what each of the letters stands for: 

Where did Pride come from?

Pride was born from an act of defiance. The Stonewall Riots, also known as the Stonewall Uprising, began in the early hours of 28 June 1969, when New York City police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay club located in Greenwich Village in New York City. 

Police hauled patrons and employees out of the bar. But instead of submitting, the patrons and residents in the neighbourhood fought back, leading to six days of protests and clashes with law enforcement outside the bar. 

A year after the raid, in 1970, activists led what is now recognised as the world’s first gay Pride march in an event known as Christopher Street Liberation Day (named after the street where the Stonewall protests had taken place). Gay rights protests and marches soon kicked off in other countries around the world. 

Though it’s important to remember there were other movements in existence before Stonewall, it is often seen as the catalyst for the gay rights movement in the US and globally. 

Where did the Pride flag come from?

Designed by artist Gilbert Baker, the original Pride flag made its debut in 1978 and has since evolved to feature many different designs. 

Baker adopted eight colours for the stripes on the flag, each with its own meaning (e.g. red for life and orange for healing). However, the rainbow has since been linked to the idea of sexuality and gender existing across a spectrum, and the fact that all of us are different but equally worth celebrating. 

How have LGBTQIA+ rights changed over the years?

Countries around the world are at different stages when it comes to the evolution of gay rights. However, in countries like the UK, Pride has been a crucial factor in helping overturn laws and change attitudes since the first march in 1972.

The timeline above gives an indicator of how much has changed for gay people in the UK over the last 50 years – and even since the start of the millenium, when Section 28 was still in force. 

This was a law that prohibited the “promotion of homosexuality” by local authorities and came largely as a response to a stigma built up around gay people amid the HIV/AIDS epidemic, which disproportionately affected gay and bisexual men and transgender people. 

Since 2000, a wave of new legislation has allowed people in same sex couples to form civil partnerships, marry and adopt children, as well as making it illegal to discriminate against gay people. However, there is still some way to go, particularly when it comes to validating and protecting the rights of transgender people, who are still very much in the minority.

Why is Pride still necessary?

Even though so much has been achieved, members of the LGBTQIA+ community still face hardship and difficulties in countries around the world. 

According to the Human Dignity Trust: 

People in the LGBTQIA+ community are still very much in the minority, as the graphic above shows. This means that it’s even more important to stand up and make the voice of this community heard, and Pride month gives us a megaphone for this. 

Many people still don't feel accepted

As per Ipsos’ 2024 Global Report on LGBT:

The issue persists in the workplace, with global consultancy Deloitte reporting that less than half of respondents to its Inclusion at Work survey feel comfortable being out with all of their colleagues and another one-third of respondents saying that they are only comfortable being out at work with select colleagues.

Transgender people and LGBTQIA+ people of colour face particular struggles

In recent years, the difficulties faced by transgender people and people of colour have been a particularly important facet of Pride. According to the Trans rights group Transgender Europe, 321 trans and gender diverse people were reported murdered in a period between October 2022-September 2023, with 80% of these people being black, brown or racialised and 45% being migrants or refugees in Europe. 

Trans youth are at particular risk of experiencing mental health or problems around depression. According to LGBTQ+ youth charity the Trevor Project, more than 1.8 million LGBTQ+ young people (aged 13-24) seriously consider suicide each year in the US, with at least one attempting suicide every 45 seconds.

For people of colour, anti-LGBTQ sentiment can add to (or compound with) discrimination based on their ethnic background, much of which can stem from their own communities. According to a US Center for American Progress report from 2021, LGBTQ people of colour experience some form of discrimination at a rate 12 percentage points higher than white LGBTQ respondents (43% compared with 31%).

As long as people in the community are vulnerable, Pride remains important

While so much has been done to move LGBTQIA+ rights forward, people in the community are still vulnerable. 

The American Civil Liberties Union is currently tracking 522 anti-LGBTQ bills in the US. Meanwhile, in the UK, new hate crime statistics published in October 2023 by the ONS revealed a 186% rise in hate crimes on trans people in the last five years, with hate crimes on the basis of sexual orientation up by 112%. 

People at Pride events are being attacked and harassed in several countries. For example, in July last year, far right-wing protestors stormed a Pride parafe in Tbilisi, Georgia, forcing the cancellation of the event. This June, the country’s parliament has advanced a swathe of anti-LGBTQ+ bills, including bans on promoting same-sex relationships and gender reassignment surgeries. 

It’s just as important to support Pride as it has always been. So what can we do to help?

Attend Pride events

Pride events happen around the world in June and July every year. There is a helpful calendar that shows where Pride events take place: www.gayPridecalendar.com/world 

Whether you are part of the community or an ally, purely by showing up you are showing your support for the advancement of LGBTQIA+ rights around the world. 

Pride is at its heart a protest, but it’s also an exciting event that commemorates the community’s history while celebrating it today. 

Donate to LGBTQIA+ charities

Another way to show your support during Pride (or throughout the year) is by donating to charities that are advocating on behalf of LGBTQIA+ people and helping make their lives better. 

Below are just some of the charities you can donate to or raise funds for.

Support LGBTQIA+ businesses

Buying from businesses owned by LGBTQIA+ people and supporting LGBTQIA+ causes is another way to support the community, while getting something back in the process. 

As well as supporting queer businesses/events, you can also find websites that champion independent creators and businesses in the community – such as Etsy. Meanwhile, Everywhere is Queer is a public resource that shows the locations of queer-owned businesses around the world.

Joining FXC? Be part of our LGBTQIA+ network

At FXC, we want people to be able to come to work as their authentic selves without fear of judgement. But we also want people in the LGBTQIA+ community to know there is a safe space for them and that they do have a voice at the company. 

Our employee network can provide a space for peer-to-peer support, conceptualising initiatives to raise awareness and giving a critical voice to LGBTQIA+ employees, ensuring LGBTQIA+ inclusion is embedded across the business.

Everyone (including allies) is welcome to join! We look forward to having you.