by Matthew James Belfield
For many LGBTQ+ people, we’re living through unbelievably challenging times, with our very existence and humanity being debated. While some hard-won legal protections remain, hostility, misinformation and division increasingly shape everyday life. As a community, we know this well – every political right and moment of visibility has been etched into place through decades of activism and resilience.
And yet, every year, the same questions resurface: Why isn’t there a straight Pride? Haven’t we achieved equality? Do we still need this? These questions are exhausting, especially for those championing LGBTQ+ charities and causes. Pride has, in some ways, become part of everyday life and something we’re privileged to experience, while knowing many people in our communities still can’t access it at all.
I work for LGBT Foundation, the UK’s largest LGBTQ+ health and wellbeing charity. Last year, we marked our 50th anniversary - five decades of supporting and standing alongside LGBTQ+ people across the country. We’ve helped countless people through some of the hardest moments imaginable, often shaped by prejudice, isolation, or harm inflicted by those closest to them.
Our work is about helping people find reassurance, connection, hope, joy and pride.
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