Unity in Diversity: Pride Month 2025
5 June 2025
June is here. It’s officially the start of summer and also Pride month.
Pride is a celebration of people coming together in love and friendship, to show how far LGBT+ rights have come, and how there's still work to be done.
This year marks 56 years since the first ever pride when the Stonewall riots took place in the United States.
Stonewall wasn’t the first uprising the LGBT+ community had against violence and oppression, but it’s the one that became the catalyst for the worldwide pride movement.
Now every year on the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, cities across the globe celebrate and commemorate by holding their own Pride.
While the ‘love is love’ message is central to Pride, LGBT+ people still face discrimination to this day. For many, coming out is something they do over time and every time they are in new situations, and for some it is just not an option to be out and proud, however much they might want this.
The impact of the Stonewall Riots is evident in the progress made over the past five decades. But there are still many places where being LGBT+ is dangerous, and discrimination and prejudice remain prevalent, even in the UK.
Join us at a Pride near you this summer
CNWL at Pride
CNWL’s continued attendance at Pride is an important reminder that our services are inclusive, free from judgement and welcome to everyone.
Here’s an overview of where we’ll be this summer – come and say hi!
· Pride in London: CNWL’s LGBT+ staff network will once again walk in the London Pride parade on Saturday 5 July
· London Trans+ Pride: CNWL’s LGBT+ staff network will be in attendance on Saturday 28 July
· UK Black Pride: CNWL Sexual Health Service will be in attendance on 10 August
· Pride in Surrey: Our Sexual Health Service will have a stall in the health and wellbeing area after the parade. Pop over and say hi and ask any questions on Saturday 6 September
Our Sexual Health Outreach Team will also attend a number of local prides - details to be confirmed and added here soon
External Support services for the LGBT+ community
· Galop - the LGBT+ anti-abuse charity
· The BeYou Project for young people - Porchlight
· Switchboard- National LGBTQIA+ support line