LGTBQI+ Pride for all Ages

June is Pride Month

While many younger generations will be celebrating in loud and joyfully expressive ways, our befriending volunteer Patrick Shields put together these words to remind us that there are many ways to demonstrate pride.

The increased visibility of LGBTQIA+ people, and especially young people, confidently coming out and showing their rainbow colours during Pride month is a fantastic development and shows how our society can change for the better. Those of us of less advanced years should, however, ensure never to forget the struggles of older generations who may not have been afforded the same chances to be "out and proud" about their sexuaities and gender identities.

While it's easy to say that it's never too late, the reality is that decades of life during less accepting times can leave many older people feeling that the time to pivot their personality and lifestyle into a more modern and open direction has passed. We can't make flags and parades the price of admission to Pride: the choice of whether to be out there on a float front and centre, or waving a flag at the parade from the crowd, or simply watching it on the news at home and basking in the sense of fellowship and belonging, is theirs to make.

 

What we can do as a multi-generational community (and as volunteers) is let older people know that we are here for them to express themselves in even the smallest possible ways that they feel comfortable with - it doesn't have to be about waving a rainbow flag. For them, something as simple as feeling confident and unafraid to mention a same-sex "boyfriend" or "wife" instead of an "other half" or "close friend" could be a massive step forward. Sharing their stories, even those tinged with hardship and regret, is also an extremely important part of respecting and remembering what it took to get us here, and helps bring dignity and closure to what may be difficult memories.

It can be easy for anyone in our community to forget how difficult those early steps can be, so let's make sure that Pride can be shown daily in countless small ways that add up to something big for everyone!"