LGBTQ+ History & Why Pride Matters
Understanding LGBTQ+ – Article 4
Pride can be joyful, colourful and celebratory, but it also carries memory. Behind today’s events are generations of people who lived through criminalisation, discrimination, exclusion and pressure to keep important parts of their lives hidden.
In this article, I explore LGBTQ+ history and why Pride continues to matter. Understanding this history is not about creating division or remaining trapped in the past. It helps explain how current rights were achieved and why visibility, safety and equality still require attention.
The resource considers the contribution of campaigners, communities and ordinary people who challenged unfair treatment. It also recognises that LGBTQ+ identities and relationships have existed across cultures and historical periods, even when records were hidden or erased.
I have written this for people who want to understand the meaning beneath Pride and for organisations planning inclusive activity. Pride can hold celebration, protest, remembrance, education and belonging at the same time.
The article encourages us to avoid treating progress as complete or inevitable. Legal protections, social attitudes and safety vary between countries and communities. History shows that change is possible, but it also shows why rights should not be taken for granted.
My hope is that this resource helps people approach Pride with greater understanding. For some, participation is empowering; for others, public visibility may not feel safe or accessible. No single way of engaging is required.
Pride matters because people who were told to disappear chose visibility, connection and hope. Remembering that history honours their courage and helps us continue building a future in which dignity does not depend on silence.
By Maggie Learoyd
Psychotherapist | ADHD, Autism & ARFID Specialist
Founder of Space to Breathe Therapy
