Pride Month 2023: how charities can show support

Since the early 1970s, June has been known as Pride month – thirty days dedicated to celebrating LGBTQ+ communities around the world.

The month is significant. Every year, June marks the anniversary of the Stonewall riots, a series of protests that occurred in Greenwich Village, New York City, after police attempted to raid the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar, on June 28, 1969.

The event was recognised as a breakpoint moment in LGBTQ+ rights. Today, it is remembered as one of the most important catalysts for modern LGBTQ+ movements worldwide.

The first London Pride event was held in 1972 on the anniversary of the Stonewall riots. Around 2000 people attended, but it was only the beginning. Last year, in 2022, on the 50th anniversary of the first march in the UK, over 1.5 million people attended London Pride 2022.

The parade was called the “biggest and most inclusive event in history”.

Pride 2023

In 2023, the iconic London Pride Parade will take place on 01 July. The route, which passes Hyde Park and Piccadilly Circus, begins at Marble Arch and ends at Embankment. Over 500 groups and 30,000+ participants are anticipated to march in the parade.

How to celebrate Pride in 2023

Pride month stands for visibility, unity, and equality for all LGBTQ+ people. Whether you are an LGBTQ+ charity or not, there are plenty of ways to get involved and show your support.

Collaborate and form partnerships

The benefits of charity partnerships include improved visibility, enhanced fundraising power, and increased audience reach. It also stands to reason that non-LGBTQ+ charities that visibly support Pride are more likely to receive positive engagement on their social media campaigns, generate greater press coverage and positive PR.

Corporate partnerships can be particularly beneficial (check out this list of LGBTQ+ owned businesses), but there are many ways that charities can collaborate and work together, too.

The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) outlines some of the ways charities can work together. In addition to the sharing of knowledge and best practice, it can also take the form of “charities bidding for funding in partnership to jointly deliver services. Recent years has seen an increased desire from funders for this model”.

So, whether you are two or more LGBTQ+ charities based in adjoining counties, looking to improve reach and service delivery, or a non-LGBTQ+ charity looking to support, amplify, and share wisdom with a worthy cause for Pride, the possibilities are endless.

Practice Pride in the workplace 

Charities can celebrate and support Pride in the workplace by hosting an inclusion workshop or hiring an LGBTQ+ speaker to visit their workspace.

The GBT Speakers Agency advises, “For your lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees, these workshops ensure that their colleagues understand the correct terms to use and how to manage pronouns, to improve inclusivity.”

Inclusion workshops can benefit LGBTQ+ charities, too. Emotive and inspirational speakers/workshops can resonate with attendees from all backgrounds and expand perspectives, dismantle stereotypes, and tackle internal bias.

All charities should show support for LGBTQ+ staff within their workforce all year round, whether that be by regularly reviewing your equality and diversity policy or taking action to make your workspaces a safe place for LGBTQ+ colleagues.

Review your comms and campaigns

Outside sticking a Pride flag on your Instagram page, charities should consider conducting a review of both internal and external comms for inclusive language and imagery.

Inclusive language affects people deeply. Using the correct terminology is a start, but you can go further by opting not assuming heteronormativity, using accurate and specific terminology over generalisations and umbrella terms, and remembering intersectionality exists and impacts many communities.

Language that Liberates by Fighting Talk is a great starting point for charities wishing to review their comms. Some inclusive stock imagery sites include, Blush illustrations, Vice’s The Gender Spectrum Collection, and Getty Images x GLAAD’s LGBTQ+ guidebook. 

Participate in your local pride parade

The London Pride Parade will take place on 01 July, but other UK cities and counties will celebrate with their own parades throughout June, July, August, and September.

Pride is all about demonstrating genuine allyship, support, and solidarity with and within the LGBTQ+ community. So, whether you’re an LGBTQ+ charity or not, turn up, stand up, and get involved.