Why Pride Still Matters: Now More Than Ever
Every year, someone asks me the same question: “Why do we still need Pride?” The implication is always the same - that discrimination is a relic of the past and that it is time to “move on”. It is easy for heterosexual men, those not targeted for their sexuality, to say that. But for many of us, myself included, the reality is very different and we need Pride.
I have lost count of the times I have been reminded that prejudice is still alive. Just recently, travelling back from London, a man approached me on a train purely to express his disgust at the Pride pin on my jumper - a badge no bigger than a ten‑pence coin, yet apparently big enough to provoke verbal abuse in a public carriage. That is the everyday reality many LGBTQ+ people still face.
And it doesn’t only happen in public. Years ago, at one of my jobs, I organised a small fundraiser for Stonewall. It was a simple gesture - a table, some leaflets, a few flags, and a multi-layered rainbow cake. At the end of the event, a senior manager marched over, tore down the flags and threw them into the bin. No hesitation. No regard for the impact. Just a clear message: your identity is unwelcome here. For many years, moments like that forced me to perform, to hide, to live a lie because of the intolerance shown by a minority.
And then there are the hate crimes that continue to scar lives and communities. Across the country, people are still being targeted because of their sexuality or identity - facing harassment, threats and violence simply for being themselves. These incidents are a stark reminder that the fight for equality and safety is far from over, and why safe spaces and strong communities remain so important.
These incidents are happening against a backdrop of rising hostility. Intolerant and divisive rhetoric is on the rise, amplified by those manipulating social media for their own political agendas. This rhetoric is not harmless. It is a threat to our modern way of living and a threat to our open, democratic society.
When public figures frame equality as “ideology”, when they mock inclusion, when they portray LGBTQ+ people as a problem to be solved, they embolden those who already harbour hate. And globally, the picture is even starker. In more than 60 countries, being gay is still criminalised. In several, it is punishable by death. Pride is not a luxury. It is a lifeline.
Critics also misunderstand the true meaning behind Pride. Pride is not just a celebration. It is a moment to remember, to reflect, to stand together, and to honour those who fought before us. Many marched, campaigned, suffered and even died to secure the rights we have today. Pride gives us space to pay tribute to them, to celebrate hard‑won freedoms, and to show that we are still here - and we still matter.
And yet, despite all of this - the hostility, the ignorance, the attacks, the moments that make you shrink - LGBTQ+ people continue to show extraordinary resilience. Every Pride Month, streets fill with colour, music and laughter. People who once felt alone find themselves surrounded by thousands who understand exactly what it means to fight for the right to exist openly.
That is the real power of Pride. It reminds us that we are not defined by the prejudice we face, but by the community we build. It reminds us that joy can be an act of resistance. It reminds us that even in difficult times, we are still here - still loving, still living, still refusing to disappear.
Pride is a celebration of everything we’ve overcome, and everything we still hope to achieve. It is a promise to the next generation that they will inherit a kinder and more tolerant world. It is a declaration that no matter how loud the voices of intolerance become, they will never drown out the voices of a community that has survived far worse and still found ways to shine.
So yes, Pride still matters. It matters because the world is not yet safe for all of us. It matters because visibility saves lives. It matters because solidarity strengthens us. And it matters because, despite everything, we choose to stand tall, stand proud and stand together.
Pride is not just a march. It is a message: we are still here, we are not going anywhere, and our joy is unstoppable.
Tom Howard is a multi-award winning disability rights campaigner.
