Latest news with #LiberateGuernsey
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
LGBTQ+ people 'not feeling as safe' in Guernsey nightlife
A Guernsey charity is renting a private pub space for LGBTQ+ people because it says there are growing concerns over safety in the island's Guernsey is hosting the fortnightly events at Pingquay Bar for the LGBTQ+ community as a space to be their "authentic self" without judgement. Liberate chief executive Ellie Jones said a regular LGBTQ+ bar space was "really needed" due to the feeling around safety in the community having "really changed"."If you look at some of the negative rhetoric on social media sites around LGBT stuff, people aren't feeling as safe," she said. Ms Jones said it had been "empowering" to see people going to the events to "really enjoy" the space. Ms Jones said she had never intended to host regular nights for the island's LGBTQ+ community. 'Thinking they're weird' "The rhetoric around LGBT people and how safe they feel especially in the night time economy has really changed over the last couple of years.""Having that space where they know that they can come, they will be accepted, nobody's going to be looking at them funny or any of those sorts of things is really needed right now sadly, I wish it wasn't."Ms Jones added: "I think we almost took LGBT bars for granted, you know, that they exist just for a fun side of things, whereas now I think there is a need for it from that slightly more serious side of stuff," she said. She explained people going to the events knew they were going to be included without people thinking they were "weird or strange" and there would be "no violence, no negativity". Ms Jones added the event had attracted people from the LGBTQ+ community who she had not seen before. "You don't have to be LGBT but ,obviously, you need to be an accepting person, as we wouldn't accept anybody being rude or mean to people, they would be asked to leave, but we've never had that happen so we don't anticipate that ever happening either."
BBC News
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
LGBTQ+ groups proud of Pride after 10 years
A LGBTQ+ group leader said there is more acceptance of its community since Pride began in the Channel Islands 10 Pride started, CEO of Liberate Guernsey Ellie Jones said there was a sense of "shame" for islanders who often felt unable to express their true selves."People have said they have left the island when they were younger because they thought it was slightly homophobic or they didn't fit in," said Ms Jones."To then come back to experience Pride, to be walking down the high street, that emotion of feeling you are accepted and included and not ostracised is the biggest shift." Ms Jones said: "I think we kind of underestimate the power of being able to see your community embrace you." The first Pride event was held in Jersey in 2015 and the year after it was held in Jones said organisers of the first Pride event only expected a few hundred attendees, but instead they welcomed thousands. She said between 2,000 and 3,000 islanders took part in the first year and this has grown to about 8,000 attendees. 'Feel safe' Ms Jones said there had been a noticeable rise in anti-LGBTQ groups around the world in the last 12 months, and highlighted the importance of hosting similar events."It just goes to show how Pride is still needed and for people to understand and accept people in the community," added Ms Jones."People are allowed to celebrate who they are, and we don't need to hide anymore or feel shameful about who we are."Pride may be the one-day couples feel safe holding hands in the street." Kaye Nicholson, CEO of Liberate Jersey thanked the dedicated voluntary work of the Channel Island Pride team for putting on the Pride events, adding there was a wonderful celebratory atmosphere at for its 10th anniversary earlier this said: "At a time when our LGBTQ+ community are seeing a rollback of rights around the world, this was a vital demonstration of support, love and acceptance by our wider local community."Thank you to everyone who joined as attendees, volunteers, performers, valued community partners and allies."
