LGBTQ+ dibbers

[HelenLime]

On the day of the London pride parade please may I offer all LGBTQ+ dibbers a massive thank you.

Thank you for your pride in yourselves, in your community. Thank you for your advocacy, both for yourselves and for those marginalized within an already marginalized group.
Thank you for organizing, for protesting, for demanding equality.
Thank you for refusing to be silenced. For saying “we exist” and we have the same rights as everyone else.

It’s because of you and your persistence, that young people today feel able to express their true selves and not have to keep it bottled-up at detriment to their mental health. This has touched a young member of our extended family this week and we are profoundly grateful to all the people before them who have paved the way forward.

[megaflyer]

Thank you HelenLime 🌈👨≈❤️≈👨

[littlelish0544]

I am grateful too... my youngest son is gay. When he was at school (hes 18 now) he was bullied from the age of 7 right to leaving high school, which he had difficulties dealing with... except when a group of kids were hurling abuse at him and started on about him being gay... for this he had the courage to turn round and shut them down with one simple comment... he said yeah, and, Im gay, so what? ... they had no where to go from there and other kids laughed at the bullies for once.
He introduced us to his boyfriend last week, and my daughter and I were telling him about how we have bought him things like a pride gnome as presents and offered to take him to the gay bars (hes a bit of an introvert) and we were embarrassing him a bit with stories from him growing up which let us know he was gay before I think he even realised...he said will you two be quiet youre a right show up (it was all good natured) and his boyfriend said no its great, I wish I had a sibling that was so supportive and parents.

So at the risk of being accused of blowing my own trumpet, lets also applaud the families who are more than happy to wave a giant rainbow flag in huge pride of thier lbgtq+ sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, mums, dads, uncles and aunts

❤🌈 🥰🌈❤

[Gelatoni]

Lovely post 🥰

[Tinkerbell]

I don't belong to the LGBTQ community but I do because I'm a human being.
Enjoy your celebrations and long may you continue to break down the barriers

[MENTALMUM]

Lovely post, I have four children, two straight, one gay and one pan sexual, I have known since my son was very young he was gay and he was 14 before he actually came out ( I firmly believe this is stupid term and no one should have to make personal statements about themselves to justify who they are). My daughter wasn't as obvious, i think because she nitially preferred girls and it took a while to recognise she doesn't choose male or female rather its about the person.
I can't believe that in this day and age I have to say that they were fortunate to attend a good school that didn't bat an eyelid that they were out and proud and as a family our only concern is that they are happy.
Everyone should be able to be what they want to be without any fear, and the world should embrace everyone's uniqueness.

[MarBell]

My son is transgender and I couldn’t be more proud of him. Yes it was difficult to realise my ‘daughter’ was in fact my son but I love him for having the courage to stand up for himself. I can honestly say he has never had a negative response from anyone, my Father who was getting on for 80 years old when we told him said “ makes no difference to me he is my grandchild enough said” I wish more people would accept that no matter your own preference we are all human. I know my son is happy and accepted and has gone off to study in Spain and has grown into a genuinely lovely man. So for anyone struggling stand up be yourself and you can be very pleasantly surprised, have the courage to be who you want to be.

[Gryff]

Thank you so much for this post 4 of the most important people in our life as a family thank you too
We are all who we are and should never have to hide that or be ashamed of it
We have no control of who we love it just happens
Like others my parents in their 80s when a family member told them their reaction
Tell us something we didn’t already know and what’s for dinner as they were cooking and their new partner was joining them

[Goldia]

It really is something to celebrate. Many young people don't even feel the need to 'come out' as it's just normal for them and there is no need to offer an explanation.

One of my brothers is a teacher and it wasn't until 2003 in England that section 28 was repealed and finally schools were able to teach that homosexuality is an acceptable family relationship. That is less than 20 years ago. He didn't feel able to tell his colleagues how this made him feel. He entered into a civil partnership back in 2011 as at that time he wasn't permitted to marry his partner. Finally that law was changed in 2014.

I don't really know why I'm sharing this, I'm sure many of you have similar stories you could tell. I suppose it makes me sad that it hasn't always been easy for him and he hasn't always had the same rights as the rest of us simply because of his sexuality. His sexuality is inconsequential to us, why on earth did it matter for so long to others?