Don’t just say happy pride. Prove you mean it.

It began as a riot. Queer people fighting back against a society that persecuted us, threw us in prison for who we love, and made it clear we were not welcome.

Trans women. Sex workers. People of colour. Disabled queers. That’s the root of Pride, and it still matters today.

We didn’t march with every Fortune 500 company, supermarket chain, or political party. They didn’t want to be seen with us. Not until showing Pride got popular. Not until changing your logo became the expected thing to do. Not until it became a branding and PR opportunity.

And now, in 2025, where are those brands?

When trans people in the UK are facing some of the harshest legislative hostility we’ve seen in decades. Puberty blockers have been frozen for under-18s. The Supreme Court has ruled that “woman” legally means cisgender in some contexts. Hate crimes are rising. Disabled people, especially those who are also trans, are being left behind in education, healthcare, housing and policy.

Where are the brands today? Silent. Or, in some cases, pretending Pride while upholding internal policies that enable transphobia.

These are not abstract problems. They’re real. And yet companies are still rolling out vague statements, rainbow products, and soft-focus videos with no mention of what’s actually happening.

In 2025, if your Pride message doesn’t include support for trans people, what exactly do you stand for?

Don’t make us your marketing strategy unless you’re willing to stand with us

There’s a difference between representation and being used for representation. When brands create Pride-themed products but stay silent when our rights are threatened, that’s not allyship. That’s pinkwashing.

When your campaign hints at queerness without naming it, when you borrow our language, our culture, our symbolism, and then disappear when things get political or when profit is on the line, that’s queerbaiting.

It’s easy to look supportive. Being supportive is harder. Especially when it costs something.

And this year, the silence speaks volumes.

If you’re going to speak, speak clearly. If you’re going to post, post with purpose.

It’s not, and has never been, enough to simply write “love wins.” That’s not a stance. That’s a cop out.

If you posted for Pride, ask yourself:

• Are we naming the issues LGBTQ+ people are actually facing?

• Are we taking action behind the scenes, reviewing policies, supporting staff, funding communities?

• Are we ready to take a stance, even if it makes people uncomfortable?

Because allyship isn’t supposed to be easy. It’s supposed to be principled. And right now, we need it more than ever.

What real support looks like

If your organisation wants to celebrate Pride, here’s what makes a difference:

• Be specific. Say the word “trans.” Talk about access. Talk about safety. Vague slogans don’t protect anyone.

• Be active. Support trans-led and disabled-led organisations. Not just with words. With money. With platforms. With space.

• Be accountable. Make sure your internal policies actually protect LGBTQ+ and disabled staff. And listen when they say they don’t.

• Be consistent. Pride is one month. Our lives are year-round.

You don’t need a flashy campaign. You just need to show up with integrity and keep showing up, especially when it’s hard.

This Pride, don’t just be visible. Be useful.

There’s nothing wrong with rainbows. But they have to mean something. Pride is rooted in resistance. It’s about challenging injustice, not dressing it up. It’s about community, not campaigns. It’s about action, not aesthetics.

If you’re planning to show up for Pride, do it with your full chest. Say the words. Acknowledge the context. Make sure your support includes the trans community, the disabled community, and everyone who gets pushed to the margins, even within queer spaces.

And if your inclusion efforts only show up when it’s convenient, if your messaging gets edited the second it makes someone uncomfortable, if your commitment to diversity is mostly a funnel for recruitment, then that says more than silence ever could.

To the organisations that show up consistently, that advocate when it’s hard, that centre people over PR, thank you. That work matters. We notice.

To the LGBTQ+ community, especially the trans, people of colour, disabled and neurodivergent folks still fighting for space to exist, this month is for you. Your joy. Your rage. Your resilience. You are never alone.

And to the ones still posting for show, if you recognise yourself in this, ask why.

Happy Pride. Let it mean something.