Happy Pride Month!

It always seems to come around so quickly but no complaints here. To introduce myself I’m Maya (She/her) a queer woman happily working in the LGBTQ+ Capital of the UK, Brighton, at our Brighton Women’s Service. Pride celebrations have become more recognised and publicised in recent years with parades, concerts and parties, though everyone celebrates pride month in different ways. It can be interpreted as increased visibility, sharing your true self with those around you, educating others, or just being comfortable with who you are.

Pride month to me is about ‘existing loudly’, a phrase that resonated well with me personally, as being a loud, proud outspoken person comes naturally to me, as I’m sure my coworkers are aware! Sometimes I almost feel like I owe it to the people who came before me. The people who dreamt of a world where they could ‘exist loudly’ and paved the way for us to do so.

June can be a time to reflect on how far we’ve come. This evokes a mix of emotions for me. I recently visited the ‘Queer Britain’ exhibit in Kings Cross (Highly recommended) and left feeling empowered. Hearing the words and the stories of those who have enabled me to be who I am without fear. Though it was also heartbreaking hearing them say the same things as me, fighting for the same rights and asking society for more respect and recognition. Years on, and we’re still asking for the same. I feel it’s important to acknowledge the privilege that comes with existing loudly, as some members of the community feel like they can’t.

My outlook on life is very optimistic and positive. It’s what keeps me going in the hard times, and it’s why pride celebration is important to me. While recent Supreme Court rulings and loud and powerful uninformed views can feel regressive, being part of such a strong, uplifting community is incredibly inspirational to me and my spirit refuses to be dampened.

This can be summed up beautifully by a quote from Dan Savage, an LGBTQ+ activist. ‘During the darkest days of the AIDS crisis, we buried our friends in the morning, we protested in the afternoon, and we danced all night. The dance kept us in the fight.’ Pride events and queer joy is what will keep us in the fight for equality, working to a world where we can all exist loudly.

Maya Lord

Recovery Worker

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