Pride

It has been a strange month, Pride month with many events and gatherings taking place despite the continuing Covid restrictions. What has impressed me has been the sheer number of people attending and being out and visible together with the substantial number of people who have not been able to attend and visibly sending their apologies. In the hope that the Covid restrictions will be behind us all this time next year I will be making plans to attend events next year. 

Of course, probably because it has been Pride month, the transphobic media has also been having a field day and although it feels as if they are everywhere and winning but when you see the numbers out and about I am encouraged that the transphobic gender critical are in reality a minority albeit a very vocal minority. I read over the weekend that there is a view that the tipping point has been reached whereby the numbers of trans people is such that it will no longer be possible to put us back in the box, though that will not stop people trying.

I am further encouraged by several of the EU leaders turning on the Hungarian Prime Minister making it quite clear that the homophobic laws he has passed are not acceptable, calling for the expulsion of Hungary from the EU. That isn’t going to happen but at the least they are calling him out over the issue. Similarly, Joe Biden is regularly speaking out in support of LGBTQ rights in the US and against the previous administrations homophobic and transphobic stance, revoking some of the laws that had been put in place. Hopefully, our government will not get too much traction with their woke wars which I have referred to in a previous post.

Then there is the commercialisation of Pride month when manufactures market items carrying LGBTQ+ logos, colours etc. I think my opinion on this is divided. It is very welcome to have the support of major companies but I feel their support should be less product based, with a view to profit, and rather more focused on practical help, stating their position on policy within their organisations and support of relevant organisations and events . I sort of feel it is a bit cynical to be marketing products for the cause, however maybe I am being a bit churlish since all positive support is welcome.

At the end of the day I have to keep faith, believe it is only a minority making the noise and that over time the situation for LGBTQ+ will continue to improve.