Celebrating Pride Month

Throughout June, we have been busy celebrating Pride Month! Our team is built up of a diverse range of people, and we foster a workplace in which everyone can feel safe to be their true selves. We wanted to show our support and solidarity this month and take the opportunity to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community! Our Staff and Clients have enjoyed getting involved and enjoying the fun, and we’ve learnt so much about the history of the LGBTQ+ community.

The History of Pride Month

Pride Month takes place in June each year, to commemorate the month in which the gay rights movement began. It honours the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, in which the LGBTQ+ community fought back against police persecution. At the time, homosexuality was criminalised and many gay bars were subjected to police raids. The Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar in New York, was raided on June 28th, 1969. Many LGBTQ+ patrons were physically assaulted and forced out of the building. A series of events unfolded following this, which resulted in a six-day struggle between the police and the LGBTQ+ community. People who witnessed this harassment from the police were enraged, and soon there were hundreds of people resisting the authorities outside of the Stonewall Inn, forcing the police to barricade themselves inside the bar to await backup. The Stonewall Uprising is said to mark a turning point in which LGBTQ+ people began to mobilize and fight for their rights.

A Month of Celebrations

Each year, this month now recognises the years of struggle which the community have endured for civil rights, and the ongoing pursuit for equality. But it is also a month of celebration, acceptance and joy. The rainbow pride flag is a symbol of how the LGBTQ+ community maintains these values. Did you know that each colour on the flag has a meaning? Red symbolises life, orange is symbolic of healing, yellow is sunshine, blue is harmony, green is nature and purple is spirit.

We wanted to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community this month with our Staff and Clients. Our Management Team organised the Caremark Pride Picnic, which was a safe space for anyone to attend and join the fun! We all wore different colours from the pride flag, symbolising how we are all bright, colourful and unique. We had a great time in the sunshine and enjoyed a lovely meal together as one. We took the opportunity to talk about diversity, and how important it is to feel that you are represented and included not just in the workplace, but in all areas of life.

It was a brilliant month, and our team are entering July feeling educated and empowered. We loved celebrating pride together and will continue to advocate for the LGBTQ+ community throughout the year!