Randal B.’s Post

In respect for 🌈 Pride Month, toth shop is recognizing friends and collaborators, stories and insightful words among those in the LGBTQ+ communities. We are proud to share your voices with our toth shop community. Some 101 today: How, when & where did the word and brand 'Pride' originate? Craig Schoonmaker, a longtime activist and member of the New York planning committee for the first Pride Parade held in June 1970, didn’t fully realize how much of an impact his words would have when he proposed “Pride” as the event’s slogan. In an interview years later, he reflected on why he chose that specific word: “The poison was shame, and the antidote was pride.” Today, Pride is embraced by millions across the globe. It’s a time to celebrate and commemorate the contributions made by the LGBTQ+ community to history, society, and cultures worldwide. For business owners, it’s a time to re-evaluate your own words and how you are communicating with your customers through copy & content. Here’s an easy start - prioritize inclusive language. Our language has the ability to normalize the ideas or beliefs of a society, and it only requires micro shifts: 🫶 Use gender neutral pronouns  🫶 Use people-first phrases  🫶 Not using phrases rooted in homophobia, racism, sexism, etc.   Learn the appropriate, modern descriptors 🫶 for groups For more tips, check out this blog about “writing copy in the era of conscious consumerism” penned by Steph Nagl. A link to Steph's piece is linked in comments below. ✌️

In respect for Pride Month, toth shop is recognizing friends and collaborators, stories and insightful words among those in the LGBTQ+ communities. We are proud to share your voices with our toth shop community. Some 101 today: How, when & where did the word and brand 'Pride' originate? Craig Schoonmaker, a longtime activist and member of the New York planning committee for the first Pride Parade held in June 1970, didn’t fully realize how much of an impact his words would have when he proposed “Pride” as the event’s slogan. In an interview years later, he reflected on why he chose that specific word: “The poison was shame, and the antidote was pride.” Today, Pride is embraced by millions across the globe. It’s a time to celebrate and commemorate the contributions made by the LGBTQ+ community to history, society, and cultures worldwide. For business owners, it’s a time to re-evaluate your own words and how you are communicating with your customers through copy & content. Here’s an easy start - prioritize inclusive language. Our language has the ability to normalize the ideas or beliefs of a society, and it only requires micro shifts: + Use gender neutral pronouns  + Use people-first phrases  + Not using phrases rooted in homophobia, racism, sexism, etc.   + Learn the appropriate, modern descriptors for groups For more tips, check out this blog about “writing copy in the era of conscious consumerism” penned by Steph Nagl. A link to Steph's piece is linked in comments below. 

Happy Pride 🏳️🌈⚧️ Pride month, is a time of great joy and a tad of sorrow… but, I’ll try and keep it positive, but let’s be real for a second. Reflecting on the past a little, amongst our own community history, same sex marriage was legalised in the UK 🇬🇧 March 2014… It’s only been 10 years, that this “legal right” was extended to the lgbtq+ community after years of existence. I couldn’t call it a “human right” since that would mean that everyone should of had this right from the beginning of time and that wasn’t the case. The fight up to that point (in the UK alone) was a politically backed history of discrimination, fueling violence and isolation, deteriorating mental health, broken families and high levels of suicide rates. I know I’m generalizing, but it’s the truth. After years of putting our hands up to say, “the law needs include and support us too…. We aren’t going away”. It happened. A not so funny thing is, history has a thing for repeating itself. A foolish thing is… History seems to have taught our leaders very little, despite all the history books and all the digital information thanks to the internet, documenting similar “exercises” 🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️ Trans rights are worryingly diminishing, from proposed laws in discussion around the use of public bathrooms based on biological sex as well as denying transgender health care. The same exercise of Trans people putting their hands up to say “please include us with the same rights and support in our legal system, we’re not going anywhere”, governments are choosing to block rather than to look at what can be done to make our society more inclusive. Why? Whilst how some individuals chose to react is disappointing, looking at the history again, where the marches for black rights, women’s rights, gay & lesbian rights… they all got humanity closer to where we need to be, eventually. I’m sure Trans rights will also get there too. Eventually. Happy pride 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ #pride #transrights #humansrights #lgbtq+

🌈 Are You Understanding & Embracing Pride? For some, this message may hard to understand. Pride month 🌈 is not just about sexuality, and it’s not the time to say “What people do behind closed doors is none of my business”. Pride Month commemorates the Stonewall Riots, which began on June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn in New York City. This event was a response to the police raids and harassment that LGBTQ+ individuals faced regularly. I cannot imagine being harassed or my home raided for whom I choose to love, can you❓ 📍 Pride is about making the LGBTQ+ community visible. For many years, LGBTQ+ individuals were forced to hide their true selves. Pride celebrates the courage to be open and proud of one’s identity. 📍 Pride is about advocating for equal rights and social justice. It’s a time to reflect on the progress made and recognize the work still needed to achieve true equality. 📍 Pride events foster a sense of community, providing a supportive environment where people can connect and find allies. 📍 Pride is about acknowledging the history of struggle, the victories won, and the ongoing fight against discrimination and prejudice. It’s a reminder that love is love and that everyone deserves to live authentically without fear. ✝️ For those who like to quote the Bible and are against pride 🌈, let us remember that Jesus exemplified love and acceptance. He spent time with society’s marginalized and outcasts, showing all the way of compassion and understanding. Some might say that Jesus was the biggest liberal in history because he challenged the norms of his time and advocated for radical love and inclusion. 📖 Here are some powerful verses you may wish to reflect on: -“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another." John 13:34 -“Judge not, that you be not judged." Matthew 7:1 🌈 Are you celebrating Pride by honoring its roots and continuing to advocate (not only in June) for a world where everyone can live with dignity and respect. #Pride #LoveIsLove #PrideMonth #UnityInDiversity #LGBTQHistory #StonewallRiots #Equality

It’s Pride Month once again, which is a month-long celebration of liberation and acceptance for our queer friends who have had a long history of struggle in the fight for their rights. The first World Pride happened in 2000 and is celebrated in June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York, USA. To all our queer friends out there, Happy Pride! As the activist and one of the many prominent figures during the Stonewall Uprisings, Marsha Johnson, once said, “No Pride for some of us without liberation for all of us!” Hence, a society’s acceptance (or tolerance) of its queer members is a reflection of its perspective on the universality of human rights. And if you are not queer, that is totally okay. You can still celebrate Pride as an ally. Here are some tips on how to be a good ally: 1. Do not assume a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression (SOGIE) unless otherwise explicitly communicated. 2. Let people identify themselves on their own terms, time, and pace. 3. Be open to listening to the stories of your queer friends even if it can be difficult to relate to their experiences. 4. Use their preferred pronouns and lived names. 5. Be a safe space for them. 6. Raise awareness, disseminate relevant information, and have civil discussions involving LGBTQ+ communities. We can show support for our LGBTQ+ friends and acquaintances by simply celebrating Pride with them and advocating for their rights. #pridemonth #pride #lgbtqia #pride2024 #ally #girlpowertalk #spreadlove #inclusivecommunity #alliesmatter Penned By: Anjo A.

My blog in TOI 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡: 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐰𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐩 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐆𝐁𝐓𝐐 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 It is disheartening and sad that people still gossip about the LGBTQ community. If the boy next door is gay, the neighbour near the local canteen will surely talk. It's high time we move beyond this. If a gay person wears a sari to work, it becomes a topic of discussion. We need to rise above such judgments. Let's encourage a world where everyone can express their true selves without fear of gossip or ridicule. Embracing diversity and showing empathy can make our society a kinder, more accepting place. It's time to break free from these outdated prejudices. These things are occurring in my mind as June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate the LGBTQ community and its vibrant diversity. But Pride is much more than a celebration; it’s a call to action for inclusivity and a reminder of the ongoing journey for equal rights. #barshanagbhowmick #pridemonth #June

I bought a book recently. If you read the blurb, you might say ”but this is explaining how to talk about LGBTQ+ issues! What does it have to say about my working day?” And on the surface of it, you would be right. Although we all probably know more gay and trans people than we know. However, it applies to many other situations where you may be misunderstood communicating as well. The authors, being American, do not realize that their advice applies excellently to understanding and supporting national, cultural, and religious minorities as well - any minority, in fact. Because if you look beneath the very practical advice on how to communicate as an LGBTQ+ ally, you realize this book is about generating an understanding of how your communications partner is feeling, and generating a continued understanding on both sides. It will give you practical advice on how to avoid offending by giving ”ifpologies” and ”butpologies”, and show that you are making a genuine effort at understanding your communications partner. It is very useful in active listening and correcting predjudice. I tried it out as a racial minority (Caucasian in an otherwise wholly Japanese hospital). And the advice works even if you are in the concerned group rather than its allies. If you are interested in making a better job at communicating, even if only within your own scrum team, you might want to give it a read. ”Say the right thing. How to talk about identity, diversity and justice” by Kenji Yoshino and David Glasgow. ISBN 978-1-9821-8138-3

So many times, I’ve been told by random strangers, ‘Why is it necessary to celebrate Pride Month?’ ‘Don’t shove your Pride Month celebrations in my face.’ And other times, I’ve been told things that are more…colorful in language. And to these folks, I would politely say with all due respect: Think about the last time you were criticized or yelled at or harassed by someone in public or on the internet for being straight. Think about the many times LGBTQ+ people who are closeted face the inner anxieties and tortures of the fear of being bullied if they were to come out. If their family were to disown them. If their co-workers were to treat them differently. How their anxieties make them think twice about even holding a partner’s hand of the same sex in public. There are so many more things that we have to think about than you realize. According to the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law, LGBTQ+ people are nearly four times more likely than non-LGBTQ+ people to be victims of violent crime. Pride Month is not just about celebration; it’s about visibility, understanding, and acceptance. It’s a time to honor the struggles and victories of the LGBTQ+ community throughout history. It’s a reminder that everyone deserves to live authentically without fear or shame. In the face of adversity, Pride Month stands as a beacon of hope and solidarity. It’s a time to come together, to amplify voices, and to advocate for equality. So, when someone asks why Pride Month is necessary, I say it’s necessary because every person deserves to be proud of who they are and who they love, without exception. Let’s celebrate Pride Month not only with joy and festivity but also with a commitment to continue the fight for a world where every individual can live freely and proudly, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Happy Pride Month! 🏳️🌈

“Who is a LGBTQ+ music industry professional that inspires you?” This was a question on the application to join Out Jamz for the Spring/Summer 2024. We asked folks to let us know if there was any music industry professional that was LGBTQ+ that they looked up to whether it was a producer, A&R, etc. The number one answer we got was the following: “I don’t know anyone.” or simply left it blank. If this doesn’t show how crucial LGBTQ+ representation is in the music industry right now than I don’t know what is. We are progressing slowly especially as we see more LGBTQ+ artists hit the mainstream but there are many LGBTQ+ folks behind the scenes working to make it all happen who don’t recieve the light of day. This is exactly why Out Jamz is here, to amplify those voices and to give aspiring LGBTQ+ folks people that they can feel safe to connect with and look up to. Its time for more change and to keep working hard. #musicindustry #lgbtq #musicbusiness #musicindustryprofessional #dei

It's Pride month. My M.A. thesis researched every day coming out for the LGBTQ+ community. I interviewed two participants and I was included as part of the research. Subsequently, I will be taking workshops into organisations to see how they and we (all of us) can rethink our heteronormative assumptions about others. Unless I say the word gay or wife I am assumed to be heterosexual. Please consider this whenever you (and this includes LGBTQ+) ask a female if they have a boyfriend or a male if they have a girlfriend; they may be attracted to both, they may identify as non-binary or queer or trans or anywhere along the LGBTQ+ spectrum, but unless society re-thinks their assumptions and how we relate to other in our stuck, socially constructed way, real change will never happen. Do you assume everyone is heterosexual unless they choose to come out and correct your incorrect assumption because we have all grown up looking through a heteronormative lens? Heterosexuals, did you ever come out as straight? My research has changed how I am in the world, and how I relate to others as a gay woman, and it has changed how others see me and speak to me. If you're interested in a workshop, please be in touch.