And when clubs open again fully here I will no doubt be out in Soho celebrating in full force. How have you celebrated Pride this year? It's obviously been a difficult year to celebrate pride but I hosted a virtual session on the History of LGBTQ rights in the UK for the CJ London office in February to celebrate UK LGBTQ history month and learned a ton of interesting stuff preparing for it. It's a hugely inspiring and uplifting film and is a great example of how people from different walks of life have more in common than they realize. that you'd like to recommend? The film, Pride, set in the 80s in the UK tells the true story of how gay rights activists in London found solidarity with working-class miners in a Welsh village who were on strike and struggling to make ends meet. Who is your role model and why? I know it's a cliché, but my family (mum, dad, and brother) have been a great inspiration.Īny books, movies, Instagram accounts, etc. The UK human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has been a great inspiration, he has spent years fighting homophobia in all areas of UK society for years now, sometimes even at the risk of his own safety and wellbeing.
Who or what inspires you? People who stand up to homophobia and transphobia in all its forms, no matter their own sexuality or gender orientation. I hadn't come out to a single person back then and had never been to a pride parade, and to see all the sights, sounds, and colors on display was a real eye-opener for me into the LGBTQIA community-it was so uplifting to see people being themselves and having a great time! When do you feel like your most authentic self? When I am with friends listening to good music and having good times.Īny personal stories or anecdotes you'd like to share about your experience, the LGBTQIA community, allyship, or otherwise? I attended Pride in Cologne, Germany ten years ago when I was living there. I am very lucky to work at a company with wonderful people where I felt more than comfortable coming out, however, we unfortunately still live in a world where people are treated badly for no other reason than the circumstance of their birth. What does Pride mean to you? Pride simply means being able to be yourself and being accepted and loved for the person you are. To celebrate and honor Pride Month, we asked CJ employees (oh, and the CEO!) who identify with the LGBTQIA+ community to share what Pride means to them, their experiences, inspiration, and when they feel like their most authentic selves.ĭavid Bishai, Client Development Manager, London, UK Fast forward 52 years to a future that's made so many strides towards equality, yet also looks strikingly similar. Their activism is responsible for LGBTQIA+ rights as we know them today, though trans individuals, especially BIPOC, still remain the most vulnerable.Ī year later, on the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, thousands of people marched in the streets of New York City from Stonewall Inn to Central Park-America's first Pride Parade.
They became key figures in the events that followed the revolutionary riots at Stonewall, setting a new tone for the gay rights movement and fighting for trans inclusion within it. Though Signorile certainly thinks we should tip our hats to the commander-in-chief, and that he deserves "immense credit," the "first gay president" moniker should be reserved for a actual gay person.It's impossible to talk about Stonewall and Pride without mentioning Johnson and Rivera. Then, after being pressured by gays, and after many in his own administration couldn't hold back their own support for marriage equality, the president announced his support in the midst of an election campaign. And it makes us gays seem silly and starved for validation.īill Clinton grew up poor and among the African-American community, including in the churches in which he worshiped.īarack Obama didn't grow up immersed in gay culture or understanding the gay experience, and he had no such connection to the gay community… For almost four years the president, for political reasons, didn't say he was for marriage equality. …The "first gay president" label just doesn't work, no matter what rhetorical device you employ. Here's more from his explanation at The Huffington Post: Unlike Bill Clinton, the "first black president" dethroned by an actual black president, President Obama did not grow up "immersed" in the projected culture he allegedly represents.