PA Housing: 2021 Pride Month

WHAT IS PRIDE MONTH?

So, let’s start with the basics. Around the world, June is recognised as LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer) Pride Month to commemorate a tipping point in queer history — the Stonewall Uprising, which lasted 6 days in Manhattan in June 1969 as police clashed with LGBTQ protesters.

(As a side note: Some people expand the LGBTQ acronym to LGBTQIA+, where the additional letters stand for queer Intersex and asexual. There are many variations, but you don’t have to fall into one of these categories to celebrate Pride. Pride can, and should, be celebrated by all, even if you identify as straight or aren’t sure how you identify at all).

A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY

We must not forget that the first Pride was not a celebration. It was a riot led by people from the LGBT community in a bar called The Stonewall Inn in New York that was often frequented by members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Homosexuality was still classified as a “mental illness”, and people were subjected to inhumane treatment if they were caught.

In 1972 - The first Pride festival, took place in London on 1 July. 2,000 people took part. Now, more than one million people celebrate it in the UK's capital, and Pride events take place all over the world.

LET’S CELEBRATE EQUAILITY AND DIVERSITY

In February we celebrate LGBT+ history month, the events are very similar to Pride which takes place all around the world in June. Pride is a month dedicated to celebrating the LGBTQ+ communities.

Pride is usually celebrated with lots of parades and marches but with coronavirus and social distancing still in place, things will be a little different this year.

A lot of events have been postponed or cancelled, but the celebrations will continue zoom, tiktok and other social media, keeping people connected and celebrating.

HOUSEPROUD PIONEER PLEDGE ACCREDIATION

Achieving Pledge Pioneer status means that we’ve achieved substantial progress in delivering three core commitments:

• We’ve formal arrangements in place to consult with LGBT+ residents 
• We’ve visibly promoted our commitment to LGBT+ resident inclusivity 
• We’ve initiated a programme of staff training to improve understanding of LGBT+ resident lives 

The Pledge Scheme was designed to tackle discrimination within the LGBT+ community and reflects key themes in the Social Housing; including resident’s having a voice; demonstrate accountability and two-way engagement between landlords, their staff and residents.   
 
In achieving Pledge Pioneer status, we will be able to establish our commitment and determination to tackling discrimination in housing and becoming a more inclusive organisation by understanding the experiences of people who are from the LGBT+ community. 

It has been developed by HouseProud and the University of Surrey in association with residents, staff members and sector leaders to address the issues raised by the findings of 'No Place Like Home?', the largest study ever undertaken to understand LGBTQ+ experiences of social housing.

EVERYBODY IS UNIQUE

As a social landlord we're committed to promoting equality, diversity, inclusion and a culture that actively values difference and celebrates that Everybody is unique. We recognise that people from different backgrounds and experiences can bring valuable insights to the workplace and enhance the way we work. PA Housing aims to be an inclusive employer, where diversity is valued, respected and built upon, with the ability to recruit and retain a diverse workforce that reflects the communities it serves.

Promoting Diversity and Inclusion is important and benefits everyone; it is important that PA Housing go beyond the legal minimum; the core basics of fairness and respect for difference, equality of opportunity and treatment across gender, disability mental and physical and different abilities, BAME and LGBT+ rights, championing those with caring responsibilities, including dementia care, part time workers and more. 

We want to promote an inclusive environment, where every employee and resident feels able to bring their whole self to work and live in the community, we provide feeling comfortable sharing information about who they are (if they want to).