To many all over the world, June is a time to celebrate your individualism and love who you are. Whether you are gay, bi, lesbian, trans, an ally, or fall anywhere else under the LGBTQ+ banner this month is for you. This is the time to find your chosen families and celebrate each other. Pride Month is also a month to reflect on the past trials and tribulations that queer people before us had to go through such as Stonewall in 1969. We also look at the current state of things and how the law can be improved in order to be more inclusive and equal for LGBTQ+ people.
The United Kingdom is one of the better places to live when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights with anti-discrimination laws being in place for employment and housing, the ability to adopt, join the military, and donate blood regardless of you sexual orientation or gender identity, and gay marriage being officially legally recognized in England, Wales, and Scotland in 2014 with Northern Ireland following suit in 2019. Things are not yet perfect however as there is still a large amount of social change that needs to happen. The UK polled #11 on the interest rank with an 82/100 on the Equality Index, comparing legal rights to public opinion. However, these questions only related to homosexuality, which has been far more publicized over the last few decades than gender identity which has only recently really grabbed the general public's attention in the last 10-20 years. The NHS remains severely underfunded leaving trans people on the waiting list to begin receiving treatment for a minimum of three years. Sexual/romantic orientation and gender identity conversion therapies ("therapy" which often includes prayer, but can also include exorcism, physical violence, and food deprivation. Worse things have been reported as well.) are still entirely legal under law.
There is still a lot to do and in this Pride Month we need to use our platform to bring attention to these issues as well as recognize and appreciate the progress we've made together.
The city of Hull has been celebrating LGBTQ+ history since 2001, originally known as Hull Pride and held in Queen's Gardens the event has run annually since. In 2011 it moved to Hull's West Park, in 2015 it was renamed Pride in Hull and took place on Baker Street, and in 2017 it moved back to The Queen's Gardens being titled the inaugural "UK Pride" by UK City of Culture. The event has hosted all sorts of performances from famous drag queens to The Vengaboys and will be taking place next month on July 30th in West Park with the Pride Parade leading into the main free events, followed by "Pride Party in the Park" with drag queen Trinity Taylor and Boyzone and Westlife stars Keith Duffy and Brian McFadden currently announced to perform.
It should be a great time and we wouldn't want you to miss out! We have a rental property just a short walk away from this year's event!
- Dakota Morrill
Padoo Homes
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