June is LGBTQIA+ Pride Month in the United Kingdom. It commemorates the Stonewall riots and aims to recognise the impact LGBTQIA+ people have had and continue to have across the world.

It’s a month for communities to come together in solidarity to unite, to protest and to celebrate the heritage, culture and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual people.

Activists and allies can support by:

  • Increasing the visibility of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual (“LGBTQIA”) people, their history, lives and experiences in the curriculum and culture of institutions, and the wider community;
  • Raising awareness and advancing education on matters affecting the LGBTQIA+ community;
  • Working to make institutions safe spaces for all LGBTQIA+ communities; and
  • Promoting the welfare of LGBTQIA+ people, by ensuring that the education system recognises and enables LGBTQIA+ people to achieve their full potential, so they contribute fully to society and lead fulfilled lives, which benefits society as a whole.

 

Pride and Cinema

There are a wealth of films available on the LGBTQIA+ experience and history. It’s now as important as ever to support the work of LGBTQIA+ filmmakers and we have some lists and suggestions to get you started.

You can learn about how to become a more LGBTQIA+ friendly organisation, and think about how to support and collaborate with LGBTQIA+ led exhibitors and programmers.

When running LGBTQIA+ events is is important to consider intersectionality, including supporting global majority communities and ensuring your events embed disabled and neurodivergent access.

If you are interested in running a film event for, or inspired by, Pride, here are some resources for information and to help generate ideas, from case studies to film guides.

Watch Seeing the Unseen on Vimeo On Demand

Get ready to be acquainted with 17 brave Icelandic women on the autistic spectrum in the documentary “Seeing the Unseen” The film sheds light on the lives of women and girls on the autism spectrum. Girls are much less likely to be diagnosed with autism than boys, with many being left undiagnosed until adulthood.

SWAN – Scottish Women’s Autism Network

Females on the spectrum have been described as being like swans – appearing to glide across the surface of life but paddling furiously under the surface just to keep afloat! It is becoming increasingly understood that more women may be on the autism spectrum than previously thought. However, many develop a range of coping strategies … More

Figs UK

We believe girls are being let down by the current system operating in the UK. Whether it’s protracted diagnosis, misdiagnosis or total lack of suitable provision, the system needs to be more reflective of female Autism on every level. Currently the assessment tools used to screen for Autistic Spectrum Condition are male- centric: we want … More

Gender and Autism

More men and boys are currently diagnosed as autistic than women and girls. Find out about the gender ratio and the theories that try to explain it. We also look at gender identity – your sense of self as a man, woman, non-binary or something else – and gender dysphoria.