So it's the start of #Pride and I'm on holiday. Has to be a staycation, a gaycation if you will, owing to the coronavirus. I'm staying in lockdown despite the madding crowds. I'm OK, but of course there are lots of people who are sad and lonely, perhaps missing their first Pride.

#PrideMonth is important for all the obvious reasons. Those reasons haven't lessened in importance just because LBGT+ issues are on television these days. Intollerance, bias, and aggression still face many, whether they are out or not.

Pride has changed over the years, I know. Yes, of course it's a celebration, and it's great to kick back with music and friends. But the whole 'parade' thing is and was a shout to the city to say "We are here".

I've been on the first Pride March in a city. It was not great. The council insisted that we had to walk in groups of 10 or less. We were not allowed to be an actual march. Football fans often flood our streets in their hundreds, but we had to separate ourselves.

I mean, we ignored the instructions, thankfully, but it was still an awkward march. No publicised route. No support along the way (although a few allies did join in). My peers were proud, but unsure if we were joyous.

I absolutely only did it because numbers matter. I wanted our numbers to be counted. Big things often start small yada yada. Small things need incubating. It's miles better these days :)

It was important to march, not just to celebrate. The march was visible, if only for a short time it said "we are here".

Not everyone wants us 'here'. I remember the come down from Brum / London Pride, as you go home, further away from the city centre, and you take your rainbow flag off your shoulders. Worry about your facepaint. You can't hold your friends' hands now.

"Yes you can" said my straight friends who know nothing. "It's not like you'll get attacked in broad daylight". Why won't I? You yourself have asked me to 'tone it down' when out with me.

I don't know enough LGBT UK history, but I'm not embarassed to say I learnt a lot from the USA when I was a babygay. Stonewall was so important, I almost felt it was global. We owe so much to Black trans women.

And Black women. And lesbians are amazing. I don't have to say more, but know that young gay and bi men don't always know what predatory behaviour looks like. Gay men don't always know when to step in and help. Lesbians do.

We need a strong #PrideMonth to give people hope for change. There's still work to do in the UK, there's still intersectional considerations and inequalities. But a noisy, colourful Pride even if only digital during lockdown is vital because...

Many countries jail and kill people for their sexuality. State media encourage families to disown and kill their own children. State-sanctioned "mob justice" can be incredibly cruel.

I know I'm not writing a cohesive story here. My LGBT+ experience isn't one narrative.

Always being the odd one out is exhausting, and it can make you make yourself smaller. Pride creates a space and time for people to see each other, to feel part of something larger.

When I fill in a form, I don't know how to feel when it asks if I consider myself "this" or "that". Does my mental ill health allow me to tick the disabled box? Is my sexuality relevant here? Am I a 'minority' if the majority are straight white abled cis?

I should check my privilege before I start thinking of myself as a member of a minorty group, yeah?

As I said, #Pride owes a lot to Black trans women. #Pride must support #BlackLivesMatter . What's happening in America is about institutional racism, and the UK has institutional racism. Cannot be argued, of course we do.

Please amplify the voices of your Black and POC (people of colour) friends. Please amplify the voices of your lesbian, gay, bi, and trans friends. Don't be silent. If worried about saying the wrong thing, just RT.

Say something simple. Short sentences.

But more than public Twitter, tell your friends that you can listen, that you can listen without making things about you and your feelings. This is a hard time for your Black and POC colleagues.

Empathy is caring about things that don't directly impact you. Allies know this.

If you literally know zero about Pride and BlackLivesMatter and MeToo, don't only rely on the media to spoonfeed you. Go to the source material. Read / listen to lived experience, not pundits.

To my straight friends, Pride welcomes you. Pride is not *for* you, but you are welcome at Pride.

To my White friends, if you feel awkward about racism (ahem) please sit with that feeling, don't dismiss it as somebody else's problem. Institutional bias is in our organisations, and we're part of the problem.

I'm not gonna talk about my boyfriends' experiences, that's for them. But I know they'd like to see themselves in the media - they don't see their bodytype, age, or colour often enough. So much is flagged as 'not for them'. They are made to feel lesser.

Wow, this blew up! (He writes as part of the original thread, knowing it won't.) I don't have a SoundCloud but please remember Stonewall was a riot; Black trans women had (what?) *it*; bring your critical thinking and love to the #Pride and #BlackLivesMatter tags.