‘Pride is a celebration but in addition a protest in opposition to discrimination – it saves lives’

Rainbow flags, flamboyant outfits and outrageous parties – this is what comes to mind for many when they think of Pride. But it’s so much more.

It’s a time for celebration and acceptance, with parades taking place in cities across the month of June, with LGBTQ+ people coming together to show they’re unapologetically out and proud. But the awareness month stems from a place of protest, as June was when the Stonewall riots took place in the US in 1969, which changed gay rights for people around the world.

And it still is about equality for LGBTQ+ people – even 55 years on, discrimination is still prevalent. Hate crimes based on sexual orientation are up by 112 per cent in the last five years. Summing up what Pride means for him, Mark Fletcher, CEO of charity Manchester Pride, told the Mirror: “It’s a celebration of my identity, a part of who I am.

“It’s a celebration of freedom. Pride is also a protest because most LGBTQ+ people are still not free to live and love without prejudice in this world. That’s why Pride exists. I think it’s really important to ensure that we can reflect on how far we’ve come and see how we got there, in order to see the work that still has to be done to gain freedom for every LGBTQ+ person.”

The 44-year-old, from Manchester, highlighted the necessity to not forget the human impact stories behind those flying the flags. With 20 years of experience under his belt with the charity, having started as a volunteer, Mark has heard countless success stories about how the movement has changed people’s lives for the better.

Those in the LGBTQ+ community have uprooted their lives to live in Manchester, a city where they feel safe because of the efforts made to create a welcoming environment. It has even saved the lives of others, often those who have sadly been ostracised by their own family and friends because of their sexual orientation.

“Manchester is a beacon for queer communities around the world, and when they experience Manchester Pride Festival, I’ve had countless numbers of people saying ‘That’s why I’m here,'” he reflected. “I think we see a party and a celebration but what we don’t often see is the true meaning for our communities and the impact that it’s had on people to connect and feel safe in a world where they previously did not.

“The most powerful are when they’ve said it’s saved their life, and it might sound really dramatic when you first hear that word, but what it means is that these people may have lived in isolation, in fear, have been highly discriminated against and their existence has been challenged in the world.

“It really cuts deep when you hear those stories about how they feel they can express themselves at a Pride celebration and connect with people who are like them and find their chosen family, redefining who they are.” Mark’s own journey to coming out as a ‘proud queer man of colour’ in his early thirties was a “difficult” one, as people had assumed he was straight.

He wasn’t sure of his identity until he met his now-husband Stewart, whom he married in 2019. The couple are in the process of adopting their five-year-old son. The CEO was already working as an ally, championing what Pride was about but his relationship “truly gave me the confidence to step forward because I was more understanding of who I am.”

While negative comments about his sexuality have been few and far between, Mark has sadly experienced instances of racism and ‘daily’ microaggressions. He has made it his prerogative at the charity to ensure minorities and those from different backgrounds are represented, with the charity’s festival this summer including a ‘queer Asian takeover’ on one of its stages for the second year running.

They’re also hosting a ‘women’s takeover’, a Black Pride event, and another called ‘Trans Filth & Joy’ and alongside the annual weekend of festivities, the charity runs year-round programmes. At the helm, Mark feels the huge weight of responsibility to serve the community what they need and says their biggest challenge currently is bridging the gap between the younger and older generations.

Meanwhile, he says they are rigorous at vetting companies who want to work with them amid the risk of ‘pinkwashing’ – a marketing strategy of deploying messages that are superficially sympathetic towards the LGBTQ+ community as a tokenistic opportunity. Companies have been criticised for emblazoning their logos with the Pride flag without taking real action to better support the community or make change.

The awareness month has allowed companies to use it as a springboard for allyship, Mark says, but warns there is a ‘fine balance’. “What it has done is enable many different organisations who perhaps didn’t understand how they could support the Pride movement – it has opened their eyes and ears to learning a bit more about what it stands for,” he explained.

“And from a community perspective, that means that allyship is formed in places where we only have strived to be able to reach five, 10 years ago. There’s a fine balance for ensuring that any support is authentic and what has been so interesting over the past couple of years is the appetite from organisations who want to support Pride Month but want to also understand what that looks like for the rest of the year.

“I think Pride Month has facilitated that because whilst it can be contentious for some, it continues the conversation and builds on the work that’s been done, bringing in new people and helps us to educate wider society on the issues that are still being faced by LGBTQ+ people today.”

Education is one of the biggest factors Mark says will help combat the levels of fear against queer people, with a lack of awareness largely responsible for the high levels of hate crimes, studies show. But with a general election just around the corner, Mark worries that strides that have been made to help the trans community could be reversed, such as with the Government’s fresh guidelines on gender identities in schools.

Mark said: “We fought hard for legislation to support the change in society that have achieved certain levels of freedom for LGBTQ+ people, but we need to fight even harder now to ensure we retain those freedoms and the freedoms that just do not exist. It’s appalling.

“For any government, that’s where we stand, to make sure that trans rights are perceived and recognised as they are, which is basic human rights. When you look at what’s happening here at home and then abroad as well, there is a real threat to our freedoms at the moment. It just sends dread and fear through throughout every ounce of my body.

“That’s why we need to make sure that we are focusing on and bringing these issues to the forefront and helping everybody understand how they can support the movement.” Mark advises readers to educate themselves on the issues the LGBTQ+ community faces and to stand up against discrimination by speaking up to amplify their voices.

He also suggests attending Pride events and donating to LGBTQ+ causes and organisations. On being an ally, he added: “You can spread the word and help create inclusive environments within your own communities by doing small actions, even thinking about inclusive language and respecting people’s pronouns, things like that, they can make a really big difference. We must stand together.”

Manchester Pride campaigns for LGBTQ+ equality, celebrates LGBTQ+ life and creates opportunities that engage LGBTQ+ people in Greater Manchester so that they can thrive. For more information head to their website here or you can make a donation at their page on JustGiving here.