Happy Pride Month! June is here, which means rainbow flags will be flying around London. I won't be attending Pride in London, but that doesn't mean I'm missing out. There's always so much to do to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community this month, so I wanted to share some fantastic events I'll be attending in the next few weeks.
King's LGBTQ+ Society Queer Film Club
Firstly, I have to talk about the incredible Queer Film Club run by King's LGBTQ+ Society. Since the first screening in January, we've created a growing community that discusses queer representation and visibility on screen.
The final screening of the academic year will be taking place at the end of the month. Here's what King's LGBTQ+ Society's film club officer, Blake, had to say about the grand finale:
‘One screening that we loved above all others was the low-budget American indie “Zerophilia”', a film about a college student who finds himself intermittently changing sex. My favourite queer film of all time, I'm delighted to be bringing “Zerophilia” back.’
Head to the King's LGBTQ+ Society's Instagram page for more information about Queer Film Club.
Other LGBTQ+ events
Outside of King's, many amazing LGBTQ+ organisations have special Pride Month events.
I love going to the London LGBTQ+ Community Centre to hang out with friends and attend the low-cost and free events they host. The centre has a series of events this Pride Month, so there is something for everyone. I personally will be taking a stroll with the Queer Walking Group and going to a workshop to learn about archiving queer history.
Ace Space London
Ace Space London is a wonderful organisation that celebrates and educates others about the asexual and aromantic community. Their events provide a safe space for an often-underrepresented group. During Pride Month, they’re putting on several free events, including Pride sign making for the marches taking place.
The Common Press is an important intersectional sober space for the LGBTQ+ community located in East London. It's a bookshop and café with lots of little nooks to try out a new read and has an events space downstairs. They host a monthly queer book club, with Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin being their Pride Month pick. I'll be attending as a motivator to get the book off my miles-long reading list.
Museums and galleries
During June, several museums and galleries host LGBTQ+ exhibits and events. These are great ways to learn more about the LGBTQ+ community and our history.
Pride Month is a fantastic excuse to visit Queer Britain, the UK's first LGBTQ+ Museum, which opened its doors in 2022. The museum, located near King's Cross, hosts a trove of significant items and photographs from LGBTQ+ History and contemporary exhibits from the community.
The Tate LGBTQ+ tours have been on my London bucket list for years. During Pride Month, both Tate Modern and Tate Britain are organising tours that explore their collections through the lens of gender identity and sexuality.
Volunteer for an LGBTQ+ charity
As exams have finished and there's a long summer ahead, it's the perfect time to start volunteering. I'm passionate about LGBTQ+ issues, so I want to find an LGBTQ+ charity to help. Luckily, there are plenty of organisations looking to recruit volunteers.
Just Like Us has partnered with King's Volunteering to find students between the ages of 18 and 25 to advocate for LGBTQ+ young people. They have lots of cool opportunities like writing for magazines, delivering talks or taking part in mentoring schemes.
London Friend is another charity that offers vital wellbeing services to the LGBTQ+ community, including counselling and social groups. They are looking for volunteers to facilitate events and support services.
Another way to get involved is to volunteer for Pride events. UK Black Pride is the world's largest celebration for LGBTQ+ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Latin American and Middle Eastern descent. I’ve applied to volunteer at their annual Pride event in August to support the Black LGBTQ+ and QTIPOC community. Bi Pride is developing new roles to expand their team with various long and short-term opportunities.
Even though I won't be going to London Pride this year, there are plenty of exciting things to do this month. I look forward to going out, celebrating, and learning about my community.