“Coming from a conservative cultural background in a small city, the concept of Pride Month was a distant dream for me. In my home country and especially my hometown, where conservative values dominate, the queer communities rarely had an opportunity or a special occasion to celebrate our identities openly, because LGBTQ+ is believed to be ‘not worth promoting’ by the general public. I attended my first Pride parade in London last year, and it was both exciting and deeply meaningful. It was empowering to celebrate and take pride in my identity, and to feel celebrated by others.
However, the experience was bittersweet. I couldn’t help but notice the extensive pinkwashing and corporatisation during Pride Month. It was disheartening to see the struggles and resilience of queer communities reduced to mere marketing tools by some corporations. These companies shamelessly capitalise on the spaces meant for those in the queer communities, especially those from more marginalised backgrounds, to voice their truths and stories. Pride Month should be a celebration of resilience and identity, not an opportunity for commercial exploitation”.
-by a queer migrant in our Network