Pride, Why Visibility Still Matters

Pride is often full of colour, celebration and community. There are flags, marches, events, music, glitter, and a very good excuse to be visible.

But Pride has never just been about celebration. And it is about so much more than flags.

At its heart, Pride is about being seen. It is about safety, belonging and protest. It is about LGBTQ+ people being able to live openly, without shame, fear or apology.

In fact, right now, it feels as though Pride matters more than ever. For many LGBTQ+ people, and for many other minority groups, the world can feel increasingly uncertain. Public debates about rights, identity and inclusion are not abstract. People feel them in their everyday lives.

Pride and mental health

LGBTQ+ people are more likely to experience poor mental health, including anxiety, depression, stress and low self-esteem.

Often, the problem is not who people are. It is what they have had to deal with.

Discrimination, rejection, bullying, isolation, fear of being judged, or simply years of having to edit yourself can all take a toll. This is often linked to what is known as minority stress: the added pressure that comes from living in a world where part of who you are may not always feel safe, accepted or understood. For some people, that stress is very obvious. For others, it is quieter. It might show up as people-pleasing, overthinking, difficulty relaxing, avoiding situations, or always feeling the need to be “fine”.

I know from my own experience that coming to terms with who you are can take time. Like many people, I learned to be careful. What I said. What I shared. What I kept hidden. That kind of self-protection can help you get through at the time. But it can also leave a mark.

It is not always about being LGBTQ+

It is also important to say this clearly: not every problem an LGBTQ+ person has is because they are LGBTQ+.

Someone may come to therapy because of anxiety, sleep problems, IBS, stress, habits, confidence, phobias, smoking, or something else entirely. Sexuality or gender identity may be central to that. Or it may not be. Both things can be true.

Good support should never reduce someone to one part of who they are. But it should also understand that identity, relationships, family, community and past experiences can all shape how someone feels. That is why inclusive spaces matter and it is vital to demonstrate that support. To be truly inclusive, people need to know that. People should not have to wonder whether they will be understood. They should not have to edit their relationship, explain their identity, or brace themselves for assumptions before they can even start talking about what brought them there.

Why Pride still matters

Some people still ask whether Pride is needed.

Yes! We still need Pride because LGBTQ+ people still experience inequality. We still need Pride because people still face barriers when accessing health, mental health and support services. We still need Pride because young people still need to see that they are not alone. We still need Pride because visibility can be powerful, especially for those who have spent years feeling invisible.

And we still need Pride because community matters. There is something deeply reassuring about being in a space where you do not have to explain yourself. Where you can be around people who understand parts of your experience without needing the full backstory. Where joy, protest and solidarity can sit side by side.

That is not just symbolic. It can be vital for our wellbeing.

Just recently, I had to correct someone on a phone call when they referred to my “wife”. It was a small moment, and probably far more awkward for them than it was for me, but it still says something. Even in 2026, there is often still an assumption that everyone is straight unless we say otherwise. These moments might not seem dramatic, but they are a reminder of why inclusive language and inclusive spaces still matter.

Bringing different parts of my work together

A lot of my work, in different ways, comes back to the same thing: helping people feel safer, more confident and more able to be themselves.

Through hypnotherapy, I support people with anxiety, confidence, stress, habits, sleep, IBS and many other issues. That work is often about changing old patterns, calming the nervous system, and helping people respond differently to the things that have been holding them back.

Through my wider community and project work, I am also involved in work that highlights LGBTQ+ inequality and helps connect people with support. This includes projects such as Well Proud with Brunswick, which brings together LGBTQ+ health and wellbeing support across Calderdale and Kirklees, and Mind Your Head with Happy Valley Pride, which focuses on LGBTQ+ mental health and wellbeing.

These areas of work may look separate from the outside, but to me they are connected.

They are all about reducing barriers. Building confidence. Creating spaces where people feel able to ask for help. And making sure support feels relevant, welcoming and human.

Looking after yourself this Pride Month

Pride can be joyful, but it can also bring up mixed feelings. For some, it is a time of celebration. For others, it can highlight grief, loneliness, family rejection, social anxiety or the feeling of not quite fitting in.

So this Pride season, look after yourself in a way that feels right for you. That might mean going to a Pride event. It might mean reaching out to a friend. It might mean resting. It might mean stepping back from online noise. It might mean asking for support.

You do not have to be loud to be proud.

Sometimes Pride is dancing in the street. Sometimes it is telling the truth. Sometimes it is booking the appointment. Sometimes it is simply allowing yourself to take up a little more space. That is why Pride still matters. Because visibility, safety, support and belonging are still needed and need to be protected.