Medway Liberal Democrats are proud to support International Pride Month - June 2023

Medway Liberal Democrats are proud to support International Pride Month. June is recognised as Pride Month, with events held all over the world to celebrate the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQI+) individuals. June plays a key role in raising the profile of communities and commemorating the history of the LGBTQI+ social movement.

Medway Liberal Democrats are proud to celebrate the activism, strength and spirit of our entire LGBTQI+ community across our towns. As a party. we have consistently been on the right side of history regarding LGBTQI+ issues, and have been unequivocal in our support for equality, championing diversity and strengthening efforts to give meaningful attention to LGBTQI+ history.

In February 2021 we welcomed the start of Medway Pride Radio a new radio station which supports Medway Pride and LGBTQI+ communities across all of Medway and Kent, and the same year we welcomed the first Medway Pride festival.

Local Liberal Democrat Diversity Officer and campaigner, Paul O'Neil added “Bringing rainbow-coloured joy to our town's raises more awareness for our growing LGBTQI+ community and this is just what Medway needs, embracing the diversity that Pride represents and to celebrate it in a festive, affirming atmosphere.

As a local Liberal Democrat, I am looking forward to taking part in Medway's third Pride parade. The Liberal Democrats have always fought for equality, diversity, and inclusion and today we fight for Trans rights. Everyone should be able to live their life free from hate, bigotry, and discrimination and I'm proud that our party has consistently championed LGBTQI+ rights and were able to deliver same sex marriage when we were in Government.

Without the contribution of the LGBTQI+ community, Medway would be a diminished, less accepting, less interesting, less colourful community. Having a Pride event in Medway is a time when we come together as one to show that we are one of the most LGBTQI+ friendly places. Pride provides a vital opportunity for unity and solidarity, and we must shout about it. "

ENDS

Additional Text for Editors:

June is the month chosen to celebrate pride as it was the month of the Stonewall riots, the protests that changed gay rights for a lot of people in America and beyond.

It's about people coming together in love and friendship, to show how far gay rights have come, even if in some places there's still some work to be done.

Pride month is about teaching tolerance, education in pride history and continuing to move forward in equality. It calls for people to remember how damaging homophobia was and still can be.