P!nk has been rocking androgynous looks since her 2000 debut, something she addressed in her VMAs speech earlier this year. Otherwise the impact of their rainbow banners or Pride themed products does little but make their company or institution look good on the outside for kudos and profit, while the queer community continues to suffer.Years & Years Release New 'Starstruck' Remix With Rising J-pop Artist SIRUP And if they truly want to make an impact with their donations and campaigns, they need to donate all the proceeds to the right cause. If the speakers you are inviting are out of pocket, how exactly are you supporting the work they do?Ĭompanies need to use all that power and visibility they have to affect real change. Not to mention the travel times, having to buy food on the go and more. What they don’t often understand is that preparing a talk or a training takes time to plan, as well as the emotional labour of sharing my own experiences – which are often difficult and traumatic – in front of a room of strangers. I personally get countless requests from companies or organisations to speak events, and many of them do not offer a fee for my time or expertise. They need to actively stand up against bigotry and discrimination against the community and their own employees, and make sure that they create a safer workplace for the queer community.įrom drills to saws, your guide to the best DIY house tools in 2022 Organisations, companies and institutions need to do more. Inclusive policies have shown to make positive impact on the culture in the workplace as well as the employee satisfaction. Making your business or organisation actively supportive of the queer community isn’t only the decent thing to do, but also has benefits for your company as a whole. This is particularly disappointing in a climate where relentless hatred and vitriol is directed at us, simply for being who we are, wanting to participate in society like everyone else, or being successful. The ones who have suffered here are trans young people, the very people the NSPCC claims to support and understand. We’re sorry for the hurt that has been caused by recent events with We’re here for every child, including the LGBTQ+ community, who can contact Childline any time. The NSPCC, which also sports a Pride logo, has also failed to show real support and solidarity with the trans community when they needed it the most, as they cut ties with trans activist Munroe Bergdorf after a smear campaign against her, invigorating those that campaign against the trans community, and made them feel justified in their crusade. There is no solidarity in deportation, and it ultimately can be, and often is, deadly. This was done despite desperate pleas from the individual, all while the Home Office’s social media account dressed themselves in a rainbow uniform. It’s not acceptable for them to simply say they support the community when it’s clear by their actions that they don’t.Įarlier this month, the Home Office – which changed its social media logos to include a rainbow – deported a gay rugby player to Kenya, where his life would be in danger and he could easily face death. Organisations, companies and authorities that pledge their support to the queer community need to be more than performative in their support. Intersex people still face irreversible and uncessary interventions to their bodies as children, leaving them scarred for life. Other reports show that 41 per cent of trans people in the UK have experienced a hate crime in the past year, 12 per cent have been physically assaulted by their colleagues and and 25 per cent have experienced homelessness to some degree.įurther, 45 per cent of lesbian, gay or bi pupils report being bullied at school, as do 64 per cent of trans pupils, while 84 per cent of trans young people in the UK today have self-harmed, and 45 per cent have attempted suicide. O ne in five LGBT+ people in the UK report having been the victims of a hate crime in the last year, which is a vast increase from previous years. Bigotry, discrimination and violence is something the queer community experiences almost every day and homophobic and transphobic hate crimes are on the rise. While this might come as a shock to some people, it certainly isn’t a shock to queer people. We see this in the continued protests about LGBT education in schools, two queer women being physically assaulted on a London bus, the relentless and brutal murders of trans women of colour in the US – it’s clear that hatred and bigotry against the queer community at large is alive and well. This Pride month has reminded us of just how far we have yet to go.