U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs (OJP)’s Post

Pride Month is a significant event with deep historical roots and an ongoing purpose 🌈. It originated from the first recorded LGBTQ+ rights march in New York City in 1969, a response to systematic oppression and violence against the LGBTQ+ community. This march set the foundation for annual Pride events, which now occur in over 150 cities worldwide 🌍. The purpose of Pride Month is multifaceted. It commemorates the struggles and achievements of the LGBTQ+ community, promotes visibility and solidarity, and continues to fight against ongoing prejudice and legislative challenges ⚖️. Despite progress, LGBTQ+ individuals still face significant discrimination and violence, both in the United States and globally. This ongoing oppression underscores the necessity of Pride Month as a platform for advocacy and celebration ✊. Pride events are essential for countering the negative messages and shame often directed at LGBTQ+ individuals. By fostering an environment of acceptance and pride, these events help mitigate the mental health issues, such as depression and suicidal tendencies, that are prevalent in the community due to societal rejection 💔. In essence, Pride Month is not just about celebration 🎉; it is a continued call to action for equality, visibility, and human rights for the LGBTQ+ community 🌟. https://lnkd.in/g_XZQFNx

Pride Month is a significant event with deep historical roots and an ongoing purpose 🌈. It originated from the first recorded LGBTQ+ rights march in New York City in 1969, a response to systematic oppression and violence against the LGBTQ+ community. This march set the foundation for annual Pride events, which now occur in over 150 cities worldwide 🌍. The purpose of Pride Month is multifaceted. It commemorates the struggles and achievements of the LGBTQ+ community, promotes visibility and solidarity, and continues to fight against ongoing prejudice and legislative challenges ⚖️. Despite progress, LGBTQ+ individuals still face significant discrimination and violence, both in the United States and globally. This ongoing oppression underscores the necessity of Pride Month as a platform for advocacy and celebration ✊. Pride events are essential for countering the negative messages and shame often directed at LGBTQ+ individuals. By fostering an environment of acceptance and pride, these events help mitigate the mental health issues, such as depression and suicidal tendencies, that are prevalent in the community due to societal rejection 💔. In essence, Pride Month is not just about celebration 🎉; it is a continued call to action for equality, visibility, and human rights for the LGBTQ+ community 🌟. https://lnkd.in/gV9Bt52n

My blog in TOI 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡: 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐰𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐩 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐆𝐁𝐓𝐐 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 It is disheartening and sad that people still gossip about the LGBTQ community. If the boy next door is gay, the neighbour near the local canteen will surely talk. It's high time we move beyond this. If a gay person wears a sari to work, it becomes a topic of discussion. We need to rise above such judgments. Let's encourage a world where everyone can express their true selves without fear of gossip or ridicule. Embracing diversity and showing empathy can make our society a kinder, more accepting place. It's time to break free from these outdated prejudices. These things are occurring in my mind as June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate the LGBTQ community and its vibrant diversity. But Pride is much more than a celebration; it’s a call to action for inclusivity and a reminder of the ongoing journey for equal rights. #barshanagbhowmick #pridemonth #June

It's Pride Month, and Lost&Found will be out and about all month! Why is Pride Month a big deal for Lost&Found? Because: a) There is unfortunately a connection between suicide risk and LGBTQIA2S+ young people. and b) We can lower this suicide risk through support and acceptance. This means that honoring Pride Month is integrally tied to Lost&Found's vision of a world in which no young person dies by suicide. See the survey statistics about the suicide risk for LGBTQ+ young people, what can be done to help reduce it, and where Lost&Found will be this month with resources here:

ICYMI: upEND Movement's Reflections on Pride 2024 "As 2024 Pride comes to an end, it is impossible to ignore all of the ways U.S. policy –here and abroad– continues to make the world unsafe for LGBTQ people, especially those who exist along the margins of other oppression. For exactly these reasons, upEND is committed to developing abolitionist solutions and alternatives that create a better, safer world for all." https://lnkd.in/gtfEdTqt 

🌈 As we celebrate Pride month, we're also reflecting on the progress still needed within our industry. Across the global legal sector, many continue to face challenges and a lack of LGBTQIA+ representation: 🚩 Research from AWEI shows LGTBQ+ employees are 10.6% less likely to feel they can be themselves at work compared to those who do not identify as LGTBQ+. 🚩 The Law Society found 'coming out to clients' is a pressing issue for almost two-fifths of LGBT+ legal professionals. Microaggressions are a challenge for one-third. 🚩 According to The American Bar, LGBTQ+ attorneys remain underrepresented in decision making spaces, with just 6% serving on Partner Review or Firm Wide Compensation committees. We’re committed to supporting both our own and the wider LGTBQIA+ community year-round. That means acknowledging the tireless efforts of those who have created change, understanding the work still to be done, empowering our people to bring their authentic selves to work and uniting in continued progress. 🌈 #Prydeco #PrideMonth #Pride

When it comes to equity and inclusion, progress is rarely cumulative. LGBTQ+ rights are a case in point. There were dramatic gains in the 20-year period between 2000 and 2020. Now, many of these new-won rights and freedoms are at risk. On the global front, a number of countries (mostly in the Middle East and Africa) continue to criminalize sodomy and brutally repress LGBTQ+ individuals. On the domestic front, the new speaker of the House, Mike Johnson is radically anti-gay and focused on encouraging the hard right of the Republican Party to shoot down gay rights legislation in Congress. At the State level, 29 states still do not have laws prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation, and in 33 states the long-discredited and harmful practice of conversion therapy is still legal. With governments and international blocs in retreat, where can LGBTQ+ employees turn to for support? The not-so-obvious answer is global companies. As business leaders consider how best to engage with the LGBTQ+ community in increasingly divided countries and cultures, they’re well advised to their powerful activism on behalf of gay, lesbian, trans, and queer people has always been based on the clear cut wins for the bottom line.

❤️ I've been mulling over my Pride Month post for 17 days now... in some ways I feel guilty for not joining the conversation sooner, but equally, you see a lot of posts going out at the beginning of the month, so maybe it was better to wait. 🧡 The reason for the delay is knowing the right thing to say... 💛 But I've come to the conclusion that I should say what matters to me, if people don't agree or my post takes a different angle to others, that's OK - because isn't part of Pride Month about embracing being different and celebrating individuality? 💚 For me, Pride Month is about raising awareness of the LGBTQ+ community and how we continue to integrate into the modern world. Of course, I try to do this all year round - after all, I'm gay all 12 months of the year, not just one - but I feel in June (rightly or wrongly) we have a larger platform to shout from. 💙 In an ideal world, we would all just be human and the labels wouldn't matter, but unfortunately, we live in a world of discrimination and judgement. LGBTQ+ rights have come a long way since the Stonewall riots in 1969, yet still in 2024, the community faces challenges and violence. Will we ever achieve equality for all? 💜 We put a lot of pressure on businesses to be diverse and inclusive, and while I think this is hugely important and necessary, I think we should put more focus on individuals to educate themselves - and therefore this is my challenge... 🌈 For Pride Month, whether your part of the community or an ally, go and learn something new about Pride or the LGBTQ+ movement and share it in the comments below. 👇

During the second week of Pride month, we're looking at the challenges the LGBTQ+ community still face and how we can all be better allies. To support this, super exciting guest speaker and trans awareness activist Ellie Lowther FRSA will be joining Greencore colleagues for a special webinar at the end of this month. Imagine holding hands with your loved one without a second thought. For many in the LGBTQ+ community, this can still be a challenge. It wasn’t until 1967 that being a gay man was made legal in the UK and it’s only been 11 years since same-sex marriage became legal in England and Wales, 10 years in Scotland, and only since 2020 in Northern Ireland. And while there were never laws against same-sex relationships between women, they were still heavily frowned upon socially. Even though laws have rightly changed, some people's attitudes haven't and there’s still a lot of work to be done. Hate crimes related to sexual orientation have risen by 112% in the past five years. So, what can we do? We can be an ally, promoting acceptance, pushing for equality and raising awareness of issues affecting this under-represented group. Attached is some information about key issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community worldwide, including legal rights in different countries.

Looking Ahead with Hope As Pride Month 2024 comes to a close, I'm filled with hope for the future of the LGBTQ+ movement. We've made such incredible strides - from the Supreme Court legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide in 2015 to companies across the world proudly supporting their LGBTQ+ employees and communities. It’s part of the reason I’m so grateful to work at Nationwide which has been recognized for 20 of its nearly 100 years in business on the Human Rights Campaign’s Equality Index. And yet, our work is far from over. LGBTQ+ people still face discrimination, violence, and lack of legal protections in many parts of the world. Here at home, we must remain united against any efforts to roll back our hard-won rights and freedoms. LGBTQ+ rights are human rights and without support of our family and allies we wouldn’t have the protections we have today. If you are interested in learning more or showing your support, please consider joining a Pride resource group at your company, or if you’re a parent consider joining PGLAG. Lastly, consider supporting the community by shopping/dining at gay owned businesses (easily found in your area with a quick google search). So, let's take the energy and spirit of Pride and recommit ourselves to the fight for full equality. With perseverance and solidarity, I believe we can create a world where all LGBTQ+ people can live authentically without fear. A world of true liberation awaits - we just need to keep marching fearlessly toward it.