Four of U.K.'s largest Pride marches suspend political party participation
The organizers of four of the United Kingdom's largest LGBTQ Pride marches have banded together to suspend political party participation in their annual events in support of the country's transgender community.
'At a time when trans rights in the UK are under growing attack, our resolve has never been stronger: we will not allow progress to be undone,' the statement issued Monday by Birmingham Pride, Brighton Pride, Manchester Pride and Pride in London said. 'We will not stand by as the dignity, safety, and humanity of our trans siblings are debated, delayed, or denied.'
Political parties are often represented at Pride marches in the U.K. For example, the current prime minister, Keir Starmer, attended London Pride in 2022 when he was leader of the Labour Party. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a member of the Conservative Party, also attended Pride marches in a political capacity in 2010 and 2011.
The joint decision to prohibit political party participation at these major Pride events follows a ruling last month by the U.K. Supreme Court to exclude transgender women from the legal definition of 'woman' in the Equality Act, a 2010 law that legally prohibits discrimination based on certain protected characteristics.
The ruling stemmed from a legal dispute that began in 2018 when the Scottish Parliament passed a law seeking to increase the number of women on public sector boards. The law, to the dismay of some women's rights activists, included transgender women in its definition of women.
Last month's court ruling, according to the four Pride groups, 'underscores the urgent need for immediate action.'
'In this moment, we choose to stand firmer, louder, and prouder in demanding change that protects and uplifts trans lives,' the statement said.
In a statement shared on X, the LGBT+ Lib Dems, an arm of the Liberal Democrats party, said they are 'sickened to our core' by the blanket suspension on political parties. The group said the Liberal Democrats 'have been at the forefront of campaigning for LGBT+ rights' and have earned the right to be present at Pride marches.
'We look forward to a constructive dialogue with Pride organisers so we can come back bigger and better, while those parties who pander to bigotry and hatred can be left in the past, where they belong,' the statement continued.
In an email to NBC News, Albie Amankona, a spokesperson for LGBT+ Conservatives, called the decision "disappointing."
"While we regret this decision, our members look forward to attending in a personal capacity with pride in who we are and what we stand for," he said.
The four Pride groups, in their joint statement, added that the rollback of trans rights in the U.K. is part of a 'disturbing global trend,' citing the banning of Pride events in Hungary and the proliferation of anti-trans legislation in the United States.
So far this year, 575 anti-LGBTQ state bills have been proposed across the U.S., many of them targeting transgender rights, according to a tally by the American Civil Liberties Union. And on the federal level, the Trump administration has made trans issues a priority. In his first weeks in office, President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders targeting trans rights, including one stating the U.S. government would recognize only two unchangeable sexes and another barring trans people from military service.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
42 minutes ago
- Axios
Dupont Circle park to close for WorldPride weekend after all
After days of uncertainty, the National Park Service shut down Dupont Circle for this weekend's Pride festivities, even after a community backlash to the idea and the D.C. police chief withdrawing her request to close it. Why it matters: It's a blow to WorldPride 2025 revelers, who were hoping the park in the heart of D.C.'s historic LGBTQ community would remain open. Driving the news: Citing D.C. police chief Pamela Smith's original request to close the park, NPS installed fencing early Friday morning. Fencing will remain until 6pm Sunday. U.S. Park Police said the temporary closure is necessary "to secure the park, deter potential violence, reduce the risk of destructive acts and decrease the need for extensive law enforcement presences." Context: In 2023, NPS said the park was faced with $175,000 in vandalism and damage to the historic fountain after Pride weekend festivities. Last year, D.C. police said groups of juveniles got into fights and "engaged in unpermitted and illegal activities." Those incidents spurred Smith to send a closure request to NPS in April this year. But following public backlash, Smith rescinded that request on Tuesday. The latest: U.S. Park Police decided to move ahead with the closure anyway. "While some community leaders and residents have voiced their concerns for a closure of Dupont Circle to MPD the threat of violence," the agency wrote in a letter to NPS leadership Wednesday, "criminal acts and NPS resource destruction has only increased since MPD's original April 22, 2025 park closure request." The letter cites a "local DJ advertising and selling tickets to an unpermitted gathering/party in Dupont Circle following World Pride events" as one more reason to shut down the park. Between the lines: It's another pain point for festival-goers who are already upset with the Trump administration for anti-LGBTQ policies.
Forbes
3 hours ago
- Forbes
Beyond The Rainbow: 5 Essential Tips For Supporting LGBTQ+ Employees Beyond June
Protest defending the human rights fro LGBTQi people Every year, June brings rainbow logos and statements in support of LGBTQ+ employees and community, and this year is no different. Pull back the curtains on these public signals of support, you find companies are pulling back on their support for internal and external pride events – and a legal landscape rife with challenges and cultural backlash exacerbating workplace stress for LGBTQ+ employees. According to the Center on American Progress, 36% of LGBTQI+ adults experienced discrimination in 2024, compared with 17% of non-LGBTQI+ adults, while almost half (47%) of LGBTQ employees reported experiencing discrimination or harassment at work during their lifetime. For transgender employees, the situation is even more dire. The legal landscape has become downright hostile for transgender communities. This year alone, over 900 anti-trans bills have been introduced across 49 states, with over 100 signed into law. Legislative action's impact has also seeped into work, with 47% reporting workplace discrimination or harassment in the past year and 75% of transgender employees having experienced workplace discrimination at some point in their careers. These laws, many of which employers need to be in compliance with, target everything from gender-affirming care and bathroom access to name and pronoun use. Meanwhile, LGBTQ+ discrimination charges have surged by over 144% since 2013, creating both moral imperatives and business risks for employers who fail to act. For many LGBTQ+ employees, work may be the only place where they feel somewhat protected. This creates both a massive responsibility for employers and a real opportunity to make a difference. Here are five essential strategies for organizations serious about supporting their LGBTQ+ workforce beyond the rainbow logo. Jennifer Laurie, a former Chief People Officer and founder of the Equitable HR Guild, offers five recommendations to employers, noting 'organizations have both a responsibility and an opportunity to become sources of genuine protection and support.' LGBTQ+ workplace safety starts with explicitly naming protections and enforcing organizational policies. Laurie says, 'The goal is not just to say the right things, but to build workplaces where people can exhale and feel safe being fully themselves.' Companies have to go beyond generic diversity or anti-harassment statements to establish clear, specific policies that protect employees based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. This is increasingly important as federal interpretations shift and state-level laws create new threats. At a minimum, effective infrastructure includes robust reporting mechanisms, swift response protocols, and consistent accountability measures - regardless of sector and size of organizations. The true measure of the efficacy of good policies and practices according to Laurie is, 'when harm occurs, LGBTQ+ employees know they will be believed, protected, and not penalized for speaking up.' For their peers in the HR world, this means training people and culture teams on LGBTQ+-specific issues, establishing clear investigation procedures, and ensuring follow-up care for affected employees. Ernst and Young's research highlighted in Harvard Business Review shows that 97% of participants who rated their organization highly on LGBTQ+ inclusion expect to remain with their employer for the next year, while organizations with poor inclusion face higher turnover, reputational damage, and legal risks. Access to safe and dignified healthcare remains a critical concern, particularly in states with bans on gender-affirming care and adult anti-trans legislation that seeks to make this care unavailable. Organizations need to anticipate and address gaps in coverage, especially when insurers deny claims or employees navigate hostile state laws. This might include offering out-of-network reimbursements, travel stipends for care access, or hands-on support navigating insurance claims. Beyond healthcare, Laurie suggests, 'benefits packages should reflect diverse family structures and relationship types'. This may look like recognizing chosen family arrangements, providing inclusive parental leave policies, and ensuring that all employee assistance programs are LGBTQ+-affirming. HR leaders can ask themselves if policies meet people's specific needs without requiring them to advocate for themselves constantly. 'While the burden shouldn't fall on LGBTQ+ employees to drive change', Laurie notes that 'when organizations create a culture of trust and safety, employees may be willing to share feedback or flag gaps - especially when it's clear that leadership will take action. HR leaders can use that input to evolve support systems in response to changing needs and legal landscapes.' People managers have an outsized influence over employee experience, and the extent to which LGBTQ+ employees feel safe at work - even in fully remote teams. 40% of LGBTQ+ workers report having to withhold their identity at their job due to fear of being stigmatized or facing violence, often based on their immediate supervisor's behavior and competence. Even in spaces where they should feel safe, they do not. Kimfer Flanery Rye, the founder of Inclusion Equals, is increasingly hearing 'employees fearful of associating with an Employee Resource Group (ERG) or affinity group because they worry it might 'out' them.' Can we imagine accepting an abysmal score and a patent lack of employee safety in any other aspect of enterprise? Laurie is deeply aware of the cultural shifts. 'There is less visible allyship, more tolerance of homophobia and transphobia, and a widespread feeling that the protections we thought we had are not as solid as we believed. People are feeling exposed, isolated, and unsure of who will stand with them if something happens, at work or beyond.' In their opinion, managers don't need to become identity experts, but they must know how to create respectful environments, respond to harm, and support their teams without placing the burden back on affected employees. We need to keep normalizing inclusive language, correcting missteps immediately, and avoiding the temptation to freeze or avoid uncomfortable situations. The best training is one that covers practical scenarios: What do you do when you witness harassment? How do you create team norms that include everyone from day one? According to Laurie, 'inclusion isn't an extra responsibility—it's a core management competency that organizations must develop systematically.' Queer and transgender people's bathroom use has been used to create division by conservative bad actors. Here's the thing, no employee should be left to negotiate basic dignity on their own. Clear, affirming policies for bathroom and facility access are a must, even for organizations with remote or hybrid teams. Physical safety extends to everyday workplace design: Do name badges and ID systems reflect chosen names? Are company events and gatherings designed with diverse attendees in mind? These details matter enormously for daily comfort and inclusion. Kirk Mead, the founder of Carrington Group invites us to think about 'social safety' when planning for LGBTQ+ employees. He says, 'Social safety is a negotiated set of conditions cultivated and cared for through community with those we wish to experience it.' He adds, 'I cannot make something safe for you if I have not made it safe with you.' Organizations can no longer assume domestic travel is safe and need to proactively think proactively about travel accommodations for LGBTQ+ employees. With varying state laws and some locations such as Texas and Florida pose real safety risks. Laurie shares, 'offering travel opt-outs, additional safety planning, or alternative arrangements demonstrates genuine care for employee wellbeing.' Planning should also extend to virtual spaces, including video call etiquette, name display protocols, and digital platform accessibility. Silence is never the neutral choice. Especially when employees' rights and safety are under attack. Organizations that benefit from LGBTQ+ talent and leadership have a responsibility to speak up when harmful laws and rhetoric target these same communities. Laurie notes, 'this doesn't mean issuing statements about every political development, but it does mean recognizing when legislation directly affects your workforce and choosing not to look away.' Public advocacy can take many forms: supporting advocacy organizations, opposing discriminatory legislation, joining business coalitions for equality, or simply making internal statements that acknowledge current challenges. In the past year, 35% of LGBTQ+ workers have heard negative comments about LGBTQ+ people at work, making visible leadership support even more crucial. If public advocacy isn't feasible, organizations can still acknowledge what's happening internally through thoughtful communications to staff, leadership modeling in meetings, or creating space to discuss the impact of current events. Employees notice who speaks up and who only shows support when it's convenient. Elyse Gordon, Director of Programs at Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy, says this can occur in a myriad of ways, "For managers, it could mean tracking the news and being proactive with messaging to your team so they know you're paying attention; for leaders, it can mean offering a supportive lunch and learn or processing space for employees who are navigating the current political environment. LGBTQ+ employees and allies notice when these are missing. The silence is deafening." Organizations should understand that consequences of inadequate action are not only severe for employees, but will be harmful in the long run for the organizations themselves; for individuals , it means showing up to work in survival mode, constantly scanning for threats, and often hiding essential parts of their identity leading to burnout, isolation and talented people opting out of leadership opportunities or leaving entirely. For organizations, the costs include broken trust, higher turnover, reputational damage, and missed opportunities for innovation. More fundamentally, workplaces that fail to protect LGBTQ+ employees become sources of harm rather than safety—a reputation that's difficult to repair once established. Creating truly inclusive workplaces for LGBTQ+ employees requires sustained commitment that extends far beyond Pride Month proclamations. It demands policy changes, skills development, resource allocation, and leadership courage. Most importantly, it requires recognizing that in this moment, doing nothing is not neutral—it's a choice that employees notice and remember. Angie Nuevacamina, Redmond City Councilmember emphasizes, 'Culture change doesn't happen at the margins—it starts at the top. When executive leaders visibly engage in a meaningful way, allocate resources, and hold themselves accountable, it signals that LGBTQ+ inclusion isn't optional or seasonal—it's a core organizational value.' The organizations that step up now, when support matters most, will not only protect vulnerable employees but also build the kind of workplace culture that attracts and retains top talent regardless of identity. In an era of mounting challenges, employers have the opportunity to become trusted sources of safety and affirmation. The question isn't whether you can afford to act—it's whether you can afford not to.
New York Times
3 hours ago
- New York Times
Dupont Circle Park Will Close Amid Pride Event After All, Park Service Says
The authorities in Washington, D.C., said a park in Dupont Circle would be closed during Pride celebrations this weekend after all, after days of back-and-forth among city leaders over the longstanding gathering spot for the L.G.B.T.Q. community. The National Park Service, which administers the site, said it would be closed from Thursday until 6 p.m. Sunday 'for the maintenance of public health and safety and protection of natural and cultural resources.' In a document dated Wednesday and shared on Friday, it said the closure had been requested by the U.S. Park Police, a unit of the Park Service. Crews near the park appeared to be unloading fencing early Friday at the park, according to WUSA, a CBS-affiliated local broadcaster. The Park Service announced earlier this week that it would close the site, which sits inside a traffic circle, on a request by Washington, D.C., police. The police cited concerns about potential vandalism and disorderly behavior over the weekend during WorldPride, an international celebration of the L.G.B.T.Q. community that the city is hosting this year. There were no official WorldPride events set to be held in the park, although the event's parade on Saturday is expected to pass a few blocks away. The decision to close an area with a long history as a hub for the city's L.G.B.T.Q. community — at a time when the Trump administration's crackdown on diversity programs has left Pride events nationwide facing financial pressures — met with an outcry. City Council members and residents complained to the Metropolitan Police Department, the city's police force, prompting the police chief, Pamela A. Smith, to rescind the department's request for the Park Service to close the park. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
