Celebrating Pride month 2025: why it matters

Each June, cities around the world burst into colour as rainbow flags fly high, parades take to the parks and streets, and people come together to celebrate Pride Month. But beyond the celebrations, Pride is a deeply significant time, one rooted in a history of resistance, a demand for equal rights, and a call to honour the LGBTQIA+ community.

At Jadu, we believe in creating a workplace and a world where everyone is respected, safe, and empowered to be themselves. Pride Month is an opportunity to reaffirm that commitment.

What is Pride month?

Pride Month commemorates the struggles and achievements of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other gender and sexual identities. It’s observed every June to mark the anniversary of the Stonewall riots in June 1969, a pivotal moment in LGBTQIA+ history.

Pride began not as a party but as a protest. Its origins trace back to the Stonewall riots in June 1969, when LGBTQIA+ patrons of the Stonewall Inn in New York City, led by trans women and queer people of colour, stood up against routine police harassment. The days of protest that followed were a turning point in the LGBTQIA+ rights movement and helped galvanise activism. Their bravery ignited a movement for LGBTQIA+ rights that continues today.

The first official Pride marches were held one year later, in 1970, in New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago to commemorate that uprising and continue the call for justice, equality, and visibility.

Pride is a protest and a celebration

While progress has been made, such as marriage equality in many countries worldwide (including Argentina, Canada, Finland, Liechtenstein, South Africa, the UK and the USA, to name a few), growing visibility, discrimination, violence, and systemic barriers still impact LGBTQIA+ people.

Pride Month celebrates the beauty, diversity, and resilience of LGBTQIA+ people while also acknowledging the challenges the community continues to face. It’s a moment to:

• Celebrate identity: Pride affirms the right of all people to live openly and authentically, without fear or shame.
• Honour history: From criminalisation to hard-fought legal rights, Pride recognises the struggles and sacrifices that brought us here.
• Raise awareness: It draws attention to ongoing issues such as discrimination, hate crimes, mental health disparities, and access to healthcare, particularly for trans and non-binary people.
• Build a community: Pride fosters connections and solidarity, whether through parades, community events, social media or workplace celebrations.

Why Pride matters

Despite significant progress in some parts of the world, LGBTQIA+ individuals still face many issues, such as; discrimination in employment, housing, and healthcare, increased risk of violence, legal inequality in many countries and mental health struggles fueled by stigma and exclusion.

Pride Month matters because it shines a light on these injustices and reminds us all that equality is still not guaranteed for everyone. It’s a time to listen, learn, and act in support of LGBTQIA+ people, not just during June but throughout the year.

How to be an ally in the workplace

Allyship in the workplace is about building a culture of respect, inclusion, and advocacy, where LGBTQIA+ colleagues feel safe, valued, and supported. Here are a few suggestions on how you can be a better ally at work:

• Create inclusive spaces
  • Use gender-neutral language when speaking to groups (such as “everyone" instead of "ladies and gentlemen").
  • Respect chosen names and pronouns - ask if you're unsure! Maybe create a place for them in your corporate email signature or Slack/Microsoft Teams profiles.
  • Don’t assume someone’s partner is of a specific gender when making small talk.

• Speak up
  • If you hear an inappropriate joke, a biased comment, or someone being misgendered, address it calmly but firmly. HR will be able to advise how best to approach these situations.
  • Support your LGBTQIA+ colleagues if they’re being overlooked.
  • Allyship means intervening, even when it’s uncomfortable.

• Support LGBTQ+ policies and programs
  • Champion inclusive benefits that recognise all employees and all types of families.
  • If you're in a position of influence (such as a Senior staff member or a manager), use your voice to push for real, policy-driven change.

• Celebrate! And keep going
  • Showing up is one of the simplest but most powerful forms of allyship.
  • Acknowledge LGBTQIA+ milestones and observances year-round, not just during Pride Month.
  • Inclusion isn’t a one-month initiative, it’s an everyday practice.

You don’t need to be an expert to be an ally. You just need to care, listen, speak up, and commit to learning. When everyone plays a role in creating an inclusive workplace, it leads to better collaboration, higher employee satisfaction and a more innovative, resilient, and respectful work culture.

Pride Month is a celebration, but also a call to action. At Jadu, we’re proud to stand with the LGBTQIA+ community and continue building a future that’s more inclusive for all.

Happy Pride 🏳️‍🌈