The pledge below has been put together by Coventry Pride, with Coventry’s LGBTIQA+ community. It shall apply to all of our work and events, including Coventry Pride.
We the undersigned and our parent organisations pledge that in all activities related to and including Coventry Pride we shall;
Promote inclusivity in all things.
This includes but is not limited to creating and maintaining disabled access, encouraging all members of the community to be full participants.
Encourage diversity.
We are a wide and varied community and we must encourage the minorities to stand up and claim pride equally with everyone else.
Create a safe space for all to enjoy our events.
We all have a right to enjoy Pride and to feel safe, the little things count like making sure you gender people correctly if you don’t know what pronouns to use ask.
Challenge stereotypes.
Just because you think someone looks like they fit in a box, doesn’t mean they belong there.
Oppose Discrimination.
Discrimination is wrong and must be opposed at every opportunity, we will oppose, decry and challenge any acts of discrimination direct or indirect. We shall also oppose, decry and challenge any organisations which encourage, promote, or allow discrimination against any person, persons or groups for any reason.
Be Political.
Pride started as a calculated act of defiance by our community.
All over the world members of our community are discriminated against and killed for the crime of being themselves and claiming an identity which opposes those within the heteronormative structures of society.
Whilst great advances have been made in LGBT rights, we have so much further to go; we will be political, not just celebratory, and we will with a loud unified voice demand equality for all members of our community.
Maintain Free Access whilst funding Pride.
Access to Pride will always be offered free of charge to the community, charity and non-profit organisations. In order to do this, we will have community, charity and corporate sponsors who share our values and aims.