What does LGBTQ+ pride mean to you?

First of all, a solid welcome back! It's been a while! For those who haven't read anything from these blogs before "welcome".

So, after looking at the title I guess you are wondering what does pride mean to me? Well there is no simple answer to this question. To different people Pride means many different things. However, Google being the know it all it is Pride is defined as "Confidence and self-respect as expressed by members of a group, typically one that has been socially marginalised, on the basis of their shared identity, culture, and experience". But how did the LGBTQ+ community become socially marginalised?

Let's take a massive step back in time here. We find ourselves in the tudor period. King Henry VIII and his parliament didn't like the LGBTQ+ community so they came up with The Buggery act of 1533. The law that makes male homosexuality punishable by death. I don't know why just men? Did he think women were not capable of falling for one another? Well Henry, the date is 1791-1840 and Miss Lister, an English land owner from Halifax, is writing in her private diary and just like most people she kept notes on her everyday life, financial concerns boring... boring ... boring..... Wait a second... and her Lesbian relationships. Juicy! She had written over 5 million words and about a sixth of them were written in code. Once it had been deciphered, it was found to be all intimate details of her romantic and sexual lesbian relationships. During her time she was known as "Gentleman Jack" but to historians she is the "first modern lesbian. To me she is an absolute hero. It was due to Henry VIII's stupidity that allowed Miss lister to keep her life in private without the fear of being killed.

Check out Gentleman Jack on Amazon Prime.

328 years later 1861 the death penalty was abolished - but instead being replaced by a minimum of 10 years in prison. Then, moving on another 36 years 1897 the Scientific-Humanitarian committee was founded in Berlin. It was a committee built to campaign for social recognition for Gay, Bisexual and Transgender men and women. The first LGBTQ+ rights organisation in history.

So much history, so why when I talk about marrying my partner is it referred to as a modern wedding? The easy answer would be because it wasn't until 2013 that Gay marriage was legalised in the UK.

480 years...Thats how long it took... 480 years for the UK government to realise that men can love and marry men and women can love and marry women. Now, there is an incredibly long way to go but this is a start.

Friends, family and the people around you are a key part of you taking pride in the LGBTQ+ community. Some people take it well and others sadly do not. I am lucky enough to have family and friends that support me, for example my grandparents have moved which local church they attend because the minister didn't believe in homosexuality. I have one friend who has really inspired me to be the person I am today. He is also part of the LGBT+ community and he helped both me and girlfriend come out to our parents. Showing us that it was going to be okay no matter what their reaction was and luckily it was fully accepted and embraced.

Sadly, not everyone has it easy and has the support or acceptance of people around them. But there is now so many other ways you can find support with what you may be going through. You can find LGBTQ+ dating apps, LGBTQ+ charities and even just social media groups that allow others to connect with issues that have occurred. Whether it be your coming out to the people around you, homophobic abuse you may have experienced or identifying who you really are.

Personally I have had homophobic remarks made against me. Some could be seen as funny (pathetic) and some have really upset me. I started seeing my girlfriend at school so at a young age and I remember thinking to myself I would never end up with her, It was a phase and it won't last. Believe it or not it never did end and we have been together almost 10 years. *high five*. But all jokes aside we have only been openly in a relationship for 3/4 years. I will always remember at school someone accused us of being Lesbians (it was very true) but we got so much negative attention from it we denied it until it all went away. I have been in a queue giving my girlfriend a cuddle when I heard some smart mouth teenager grunt "ewww lesbians". The same comment made in a nightclub by a fully grown man. I have had friends beaten up because they have kissed their partner. My favourite one of all "oh your a lesbian! I love lesbian porn" ummmm what do you even say to a comment like that? As much as these comments and acts can affect us we stand with PRIDE which allows us to love who we love. I wouldn't change it for the world.

So, here is my simple answer to what does pride mean to me ...

It means I get to be someone that I really wanna be, it means I get to be happy and most importantly it means I get to love the person I really want to love out in the open. I am PROUD of who I am and all those standing with me in the LGBTQ+ community.

And finally, here's a little idea I had of breaking down Pride and what we can do to support the LGBTQ+ community.

Persitance - We must persist in normalising the LGBTQ+ community and keep the fight going for equality.

Relationships - Keep our relationships strong not just with our significant others but with those who love and support us.

Impact - We can all make an impact by supporting LGBTQ+ movements and spreading the word.

Developing - Although the UK has made progress with LGBTQ+ rights and acceptance there is still a long way to go.

Encourage - We need to encourage others that it is okay to be in the community and it is okay to speak up for what you believe is right.

Thanks for reading guys, its great to hear all your feedback. If you guys want more just keep hitting the like button and reading my stuff. I would love some ideas to help keep the blog going. Until next time bros.

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