We’re delighted to be joining our partners at Positively UK along with so many other supporters at the Pride in London parade on Saturday 29 June. There’ll be around 75 of us coming together as a walking group within the parade, shining a light on the important role that Pride continues to play for people living with HIV across our city.
This year marks 52 years since the first Gay Pride rally, which took place back in 1972. As a society, we’ve changed significantly since then in terms of views, attitudes and opinions of the LGBTQI+ community. However, many challenges and inequalities still exist today. Members of the HIV healthcare community share their personal views as to why Pride is as important today as ever.
Professor Kevin Fenton, Regional Director of Public Health for NHS London and Co-Chair of FTCI London
“Pride days are so important. It’s a time for our community to come together and it’s a time to celebrate the richness and the diversity and the happiness and the joy that we have in our community.
“It’s also a time to advocate for change, advocate against stigma, discrimination and hate. And it’s a time to acknowledge the great work being done by so many partners to lift our community up and to advance our goals on greater health and HIV prevention.”
Dr Laura J Waters, HIV and Sexual Health Doctor and Founder of the People First Charter
“Pride is important. People who say that Pride isn’t important anymore don’t understand how it feels to be an individual in a small community where you cannot express the love for the person that you love.
“Pride is always important to someone.”
Farrah Hart, Public Health Consultant at the Great London Authority (GLA)
“Days like Pride are really important in the fight against stigma.”
“It gives people with HIV a sense of community and being proud to be out and to say ‘yes, I have HIV but that doesn’t define me. I’m just a person and I have a long-term health condition and there’s nothing wrong with that.’”
We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the Pride parade on 29 June – please do give us a wave!