MP to lead debate of 50 years of Pride

Angela Crawley MP says LGBTQIA+ rights have come a long way, but there is still more to be done

To mark the occasion, Ms Crawley and East Renfrewshire MP Kirsten Oswald jointly applied to host a debate at the start of the month, which was supported by 26 MPs from five parties.

The debate which will take place on Thursday will give LGBTQIA+ parliamentarians the opportunity to share their experiences and celebrate the wider community across the UK.

Pride is a month-long celebration of the establishment of the LGBTQIA+ rights movement that followed the Stonewall riots in New York in 1969.

Three years later, the first official UK Gay Pride Rally took place in London on July 1, 1972.

Pride month runs from June 1-30 and is a celebration of the successes of the diverse LGBTQIA+ community while raising awareness of continuing discrimination and issues affecting the members of the community.

Recent progress for the LGBTQIA+ community comes after decades of campaigning in civic society and although significant progress has been made.

However, Ms Crawley believes that more can be done to make the UK a safer and fairer place for the community and to spread that message of tolerance and acceptance throughout the world.

She said: “From the decriminalisation of homosexuality, to equal marriage, to societal acceptance of rainbow families, the movement has gone from strength to strength.

"As an LGBTQIA+ MP myself, I can think of no better way to celebrate 50 years of Pride in the UK than to hold a debate in the House of Commons.

“I know how powerful it is to witness debates in the House as you feel that you are represented and that you are being heard.

"The UK has shown an extraordinary tolerance and acceptance of the LGBTQIA+ community in recent years.

“Pride is not o nly a celebration of the incredible progress of the LGBTQIA+ rights movement, it is also a reminder of just how far we still have to go to become the tolerant and accepting society we can be.”