Pride stories 2023

Cameron Cairns, Customer Services Advisor at our Nottingham Road store

Growing up I always knew I was different; I didn’t dress like others or listen to the music in the charts. I didn’t realise until my mid-teens that something else made me different, I was gay.

Being gay wasn’t necessarily seen a ‘bad thing’ in the mid to late 2000s but it was still something that had a lot of negative connotations and left you open to negative opinions and treatment. There also wasn’t a lot of support. Society has moved on and there’s much more understanding, acceptance and support.  Whilst there’s still discrimination, I feel safe to be myself and know I have the support of those around me, especially at work.

To me, PRIDE means that whilst I’m accepted all year round it’s a time where people stand together in solidarity either being an ally with the community or a member themselves. There’s nothing to hide or be ashamed of. Love is love and people should not be afraid to be themselves, whether that’s who they love or how they identify.

PRIDE celebrations are still as important as even though the world has become far more accepting, there is still a long way to go, even in a country as free as the UK,
a same sex couple will still face danger and feel fear just for holding hands in the street, a trans woman or man can still be physically attacked, school children still get bullied.

As long as people face discrimination for being a member of the LGBTQI+ community, PRIDE will always be important.