Why do we still need Pride Month?
June is internationally recognised as Pride Month. Born from the US Stonewall Riots in June 1969, Pride is a celebration of love and community that highlights how far LGBTQ+ rights have come over the years. It also draws attention to the amount of work that still needs to be done around the world, where in some countries, being LGBTQ+ remains punishable by death.
'But there should be a Straight Pride, too! You already have all of your rights now, what more do you want?’
It's fascinating how simple the answer to a question like this is, while simultaneously being widely unconsidered.
Imagine a scenario where:
You find two people at sea in separate boats. One person’s boat is sinking because it wasn’t equipped with the components it needed to survive the harsh waters, and the other person’s is absolutely fine because it was made with everything it required to stay afloat.
You could to help both people in both boats, but it wouldn’t really make sense to help the person whose boat is staying afloat because they don’t need helping. Naturally, you'd help the person whose boat is sinking so that they can have a happy time on their boat, just like the person on the other boat.
They don’t want to end up with a better boat, they just want the same boat as the person who isn’t about to drown.
I'm just one of the lucky ones...
As a member of the community myself, I experienced first-hand how awkward it can feel to move away from the safety of the hetero world. Having to ‘come out’ and explain why you’re dating someone, how long you’ve felt that way, is it just a phase, etc - the list sadly goes on. And believe me, it wasn’t a choice, because why would anyone choose to be different in a world like this?
While I am fortunate enough to have been widely accepted by my inner circle for who I am, even to this day, my experience remains accompanied by the lingering anxiety of being seen differently. The outside world paints a more extreme picture, with digital platforms allowing hate to spread like pixelated wildfire.
Closets are for clothes, not characteristics.
People aren’t expected to explain themselves for being heterosexual or cisgender because it’s a societal norm. Contrastingly, the journey of many queer people begins being trapped by default inside a dark closet of internal conflict and shame, all thanks to the rigidity of those norms. For most in this community, coming out of that closet takes a certain level of bravery to face unknown consequences, and for some it’s just too high-risk.
The freedom of being true to yourself shouldn’t be a privilege reserved only for heterosexual and cis people, and Pride Month is about encouraging everyone to be proud of who they are without having to live in fear.
We're still a long way off equality, arguably even further away than we were a few years ago.
Just last year, around 39% of global big brands either scaled down or completely stopped participating in public Pride efforts in fear of homophobic backlash. In the UK, it was reported by The Guardian that the number of ‘Pride’ mentions on the biggest corporations’ social media accounts crashed by 92% between 2023 and late 2025. Alongside this, some organisations pulled funding and ended their sponsorship deals for Pride events that forced several postponements and complete cancellations across the country.
When the day comes that happiness is prioritised and nobody minds whether you’re gay, straight, cis, trans or all the other wonderful things in-between, perhaps Pride won't be as much of a necessity. When children of future generations are raised knowing it doesn’t matter what reproductive organs their chosen partners possess nor how they identify, the urgency of campaigning for equal rights and against hateful attitudes will no longer be an emergency. In 2026, it still is.
But why?
A study conducted by the Office for National Statistics between 2021-23 covering England & Wales found that those identifying with a sexuality other than heterosexual had more than double the suicide rate of those who identified as straight. Reminding people that they are not alone by giving them an opportunity to be surrounded by a community of other LGBTQ+ people could quite literally save lives.
It's not about wanting to indoctrinate everyone else to become LGBTQ+, nor is it wanting more than what heteronormative and gender-conforming people enjoy. It’s simply about visibility, acceptance and forming an understanding of different experiences in hope for a world that’s less harmful.
When historical and present-day experiences of the LGBTQ+ community are so commonly rejected, it can be easier to just flip the script to a ‘put yourself in my shoes’ approach and provoke consideration by asking:
Are straight or cisgender people oppressed for being straight or cisgender? No.
Is it currently illegal to be straight or cisgender in 63 countries? No.
Do people have to ‘come out’ as straight? No.
Is it common to be disowned by your family for being straight? No.
Are straight peoples’ identities minimised to being perceived as a choice they made to gain attention? No.
Has heterosexuality been widely reduced to an ‘ideology’ by others, or even worse, a mental illness? Highly doubtful.
In places where public displays of affection are acceptable, do straight/cisgender people still have to be careful about PDA towards romantic partners? Absolutely not.
Celebrating those who fought for a better future forms part of who many of us are.
Just as we celebrate heroes from WWI and WWII, or heroes that gave women the right to vote, and the heroes that dedicate their lives to helping others when it would be easier to turn a blind eye, we should be able to celebrate those who risked their lives to fight for the right to exist freely, too. Progress in society shouldn't only be celebrated on the condition that it doesn't trigger peoples' homophobia and/or other predjudices. There's nothing political or controversial about that, it's just a fundamental part of human decency. Being queer doesn't hurt anyone, but oppression bred directly from selective acceptance does.
We need Pride because hate doesn't deserve to win.
We need Pride because LGBTQ+ rights are still a subject of debate and ridicule. We need Pride because we still don’t have to look very far to find a social media post full of hateful prejudice in the comments section. We need Pride because many people still think being LGBTQ+ is just a hard-left ideology being ‘pushed’ onto people (or even a mental illness!) instead of a human characteristic. We need Pride because children are still getting bullied in schools for their sexuality and gender expression. We need Pride because legal protections in countries where they exist don’t automatically change cultural attitudes. We need Pride because others still need education. We need Pride because it isn’t harmful to love who you love and express yourself freely.
At Wrexham SU, we want all LGBTQ+ students to know that we see you, we support you and we encourage you to celebrate this month unapologetically. Simply being who you are and remaining true to yourself, especially in the face of adversity is inspiring, and you deserve the freedom to do that fearlessly. Stay proud.
Happy Pride Month 🌈
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Written by Lauren Hole, Communications & Engagement Coordinator
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