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Fundraisers that will make you feel proud

In the early hours of June 28th 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn of Greenwich Village, Manhattan. An event that soon turned violent, the ‘Stonewall riots’ (or ‘Stonewall uprising’, if you will) refer to the demonstrations sparked in response not just to the use of police force, but to generations of discrimination, criminalisation, and oppression. A defining point in the LGBTQ+ movement, Stonewall was a ‘galvanising’ force. A year later, thousands of people took to the streets of Manhattan chanting ‘gay is loud, say it proud'. It caught on, with June now recognised as ‘Pride month’ in countries all over the world. That’s why we want to take this chance to reflect on the events of 1969 and shine a spotlight on some of the fundraisers that have helped make the sector proud.

First up? Where would we be if we didn’t mention…

Posted 08/06/2021

Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners

The story behind the award-winning film, Pride, LGSM makes us feel exactly that. A fundraiser dating all the way back to the miner's strikes of 1984, the premise is simple but brilliant. Recognising the mining community as another group persecuted and harassed by the public and the press, LGSM set out to fundraise in support of the strike. Twinned with Neath, Dulais and Swansea Valleys Miners it might have started with 11 people and a bucket collection, but by the end of the strike this unlikely fundraiser had brought in £22,500. But the final total is just part of the story. The partnership between LGSM and the mining community is the real hero here, with the National Union of Miners proving pivotal to the progression of LGBTQ+ rights in the UK. Thanks to their block support, in 1985 the Labour party became the first to pass a new equality resolution.

“You have worn our badge ‘Coal Not Dole’ and you know what harassment means, as we do. Now we will support you. It won’t change overnight, but now a hundred and forty thousand miners know about blacks and gays and nuclear disarmament and we will never be the same.” David Donovan speaking at ‘Pits Not Perverts’ in 1985

LGSM reformed in 1992 following another round of pit closures, but in 2015 LGSMA (Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners Again) made the decision to wind down as a major campaign force. The group still exists, but as a small team working to hold up the legacy and manage the archive of LGSM’s work.

Some people are… Get over it!

'Unapologetic and in your face', Stonewall's first awareness-raising campaign certainly got a reaction. Designed to tackle homophobia in schools, it started with 5,000 posters posted to secondary schools across the UK, and was followed by a series of billboard ads, railway screens, and bus panels. Prompting more than 50 complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority (none of which were found to have any merit) the campaign grew in both reach and scope. Not only are some people gay. Some people are lesbians. Some people are non-binary. Some people are trans. Get over it! 10 years after it first launched, this ground-breaking campaign has taken a back seat to a new three-year initiative, ‘Come out for LGBT’. As part of Stonewall’s response to rising reports of hate crime, this new campaign is working to mobilise public support for LGBTQ+ rights. Crossing multiple channels from print and merchandise to outdoor advertising, tv and social media this is one campaign that caught our attention!  

Pride Festival

Of course, you can’t talk about Pride without talking about the festival itself (or should we say ‘festivals’?!). Inspired by the Stonewall uprising, the UK’s first Pride event was held in London on July 1st in 1972. From an initial crowd of 2,000 people, today’s London Pride regularly attracts over a million people and is one of a host of events taking place all over the UK (and the world). There’s the parade, naturally. But that’s just the start. In 2019, the London festival played host to 120 different events, 70% of which raised funds in support of charity or non-profit LGBTQ+ organisations. Last year’s event might have gone virtual, but the calendar for 2020 is filling up fast. Yes, the parade has been pushed to September, but that only means we get to celebrate twice! Whether you’re joining events in the summer or autumn, all across the UK people are getting ready to stand proud.

Before you go…

Before you get back to work, we wanted to shine a quick spotlight on some of the corporate partnerships that help mainstream and raise the profile of pride.

  • Converse: High-top, low-top, everyone will walk with pride in these bright, customisable designs.
  • Costa Coffee: With limited edition re-useable rainbow cups raising money for the Switchboard LGBT+ helpline, we love that Pride is just one part of Costa’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
  • Smirnoff: Raising $1.5 million and counting, $1 from every ‘Love Wins’ vodka made goes to charity.
  • H&M: Looks ‘beyond the rainbow’ with their new app shining a spotlight on the stories behind the flag.
  • Skittles: Wondering why your pack of skittles is only available in black and white? That’s because there’s only one rainbow that matters during Pride!

We could go on. Adorned with rainbows and glitter galore, we love the creative inspiration behind these campaigns. But behind all the show, it is important to remember the foundation and message of pride. It is more than 50 years since the Stonewall uprising, and still the work continues. We have come a long way, but we are not there yet.

So say it loud and take five minutes to show the world you’re proud.