Celebrating Pride Month

Pride Month is a time to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. It’s about recognising people’s history, culture, and making sure everyone feels included and valued.

Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead, Di Keller, has shared some helpful advice on how we can all make our communities more welcoming.

What does inclusion mean?

Inclusion is about making sure people feel safe, respected, and like they belong. Everyone matters.

When people feel included, we see:

People feeling accepted, valued and part of their community.
Their voices being heard and taken seriously.
More people joining in with activities and meeting others.
Stronger friendships and more connected communities.
People feeling happier, more confident, and able to be themselves.

You don’t have to get everything perfect. Inclusion isn’t about knowing every term or always getting the language right. It’s about being respectful and open to learning.

Understanding some key terms

Here are a few common words you might hear:

LGBTQ+ – A term that includes different sexual orientations and gender identities.
Sexual orientation – Who someone is attracted to.
Gender identity – How someone feels or identifies their gender.
Transgender – When someone’s gender identity is different from the sex they were assigned at birth.
Non-binary – A gender identity that isn’t just male or female.
Pronouns – Words used to refer to someone, like she/her, he/him, or they/them.
Misgendering – Using the wrong pronouns or gendered terms for someone.

Simple ways to be inclusive

If you’re not sure how to refer to someone, use their name or “they/them”.
You can share your own pronouns first and invite others to share theirs if they wish.
If you make a mistake, just apologise briefly and move on.
Be respectful and open when learning about others – it’s okay to ask thoughtful questions.