Pride Month is an important celebration for the LGBTQ+ community. LGBTQ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transgender and Queer, with the + added to include other non-traditional identities. Each year, on Saturday 1st June, Pride Month begins all over the world. The focus is for people and their friends, families and allies to celebrate, honour and support the LGBTQ+ community.
The iconic Rainbow Flag is often used in parades and was created by Gilbert Baker in 1978. The flag is usually seen with six colored stripes, each imbued with meaning: red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, blue for serenity, and violet for spirit.
Apart from the Rainbow Flag there a number of other flags that are used to celebrate Pride Month. The Pink Union Jack Pride Flag was created by UK artist David Gwinnutt in 2005, as something “both gay and British!” There is also a Progress Pride flag, created in 2018 by Daniel Quasar to celebrate the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community, that hangs in the V&A Museum.
If big marches and parades are not your thing, you could always have a Pride celebration at home! Have your own dance party in the living room – find a good LGBTQ+ mix on Spotify and maybe bake a rainbow layer cake.
If you need help to explain Pride Month, Strong Family Alliance has some excellent age-appropriate suggestions for sharing Pride with younger (or older!) people.
Happy Pride Month everyone!
Dorset Pride events:
Sherborne Pride
sherbornepride.org
7th June
Poole Pride
lighthousepoole.co.uk
8th June
Bourne Free
bournefree.co.uk
5th and 6th July
Dorset Youth Pride
shirehalldorset.org
13th July
Employ My Ability offers vocational training for students with learning disabilities and special educational needs and disabilities. One of their students, Maddie Walters, spent her work experience with us, and now writes a regular column – Ed
Sponsored by Wessex Internet
