Our wonderful Welsh Qmmunity have come together to confirm their place at the first-ever online Pride Party – the trail-blazingly unique Wales Wide Virtual Pride.
Hosted by LGBTQymru, a collective of passionate activists and allies, dedicated to keeping our community connected, the inaugural event is all set for the weekend of July 24 and 25.
And a whole host of our Prides have already pledged their support for the biggest virtual celebration of the whole of our community across the whole of our country.
These include Rhondda Pride, Bangor Pride, Swansea Pride, Llantwit Major Pride, Barry Pride, plus grassroots groups like Glitter Cymru, and Bi Cymru – with many others to be announced next week. Watch this space!
Huge thanks to those who were so quick off the queer blocks.
Rhondda Pride brought the first ever Pride to the Welsh Valleys in 2019, and committed to bringing Pride to LGBTQ+ people in more remote Welsh communities. They go further than simply a one day Pride event by being an integral part of the Valleys Community.
From charity fundraising (for the local community) to promoting safe spaces and delivering outreach programmes, Rhondda Pride aims to provide support for as many people as possible. Free for all, Rhondda Pride is committed to promoting LGBTQ+ rights across the political and social spectrum.
Bangor Pride was established for 2019 where it celebrated the city’s first Pride, and the first in North Wales for a number of years. The event aimed to give everyone of the city, student and local alike, the chance to celebrate who they are and come together regardless of age, nationality, first language and, of course, sexual orientation or gender.
As well as having a celebratory tone the inaugrual Pride also hosted workshops on important issues for the LGBTQ+ community to make sure everyone could feel comfortable in who they are.
Swansea Pride is operated by a small team of unpaid volunteers who work tirelessly to organise the event for the benefit of LGBT+ people, the wider community of Swansea and beyond. Swansea Pride also holds other events throughout the year such as Open Mic Nights and coffee meet ups, and is an active member of Swansea Bay LGBT+ Forum.
MajorPride/PrideMawr was established in 2018 with an aim to celebrate the diversity in the historic town and put Llantwit Major on the map as somewhere inclusive and welcoming to live, work and visit.
The event was the first of its kind in the Vale of Glamorgan, with event spanning across the entire weekend. It is recognised as being one of the many successes of more localised prides across Wales in inspiring inclusivity and visibility.
Barry Pride was the first Pride event in Barry which took place in September 2019. Barry Pride brought together members of the LGBTQ+ community, residents, our High Street, charities and groups to celebrate throughout the day.
The event included three themes, to Educate, Celebrate and Commemorate our LGBTQ+ community with a week long series of activities leading up to the day including a live Q&A, film screening and proudly flying the flag in our town.
Glitter Cymru is a grassroots meet-up and support group for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) people who are LGBTQ+ in South Wales, founded in June 2016. Glitter Cymru is run by BAME LGBTQ+ people for BAME LGBTQ+ people. Our group came about after hearing the frustrations of many BAME LGBT+ people not always feeling welcomed and understood by the wider more prominently white LGBTQ+ scene. Thus, Glitter Cymru was born to provide a safe space for the BAME LGBTQ+ community.
Bi Cymru is the all-Wales network for bisexual people, people attracted to more than one gender, and those who think they may be. They are a not-for-profit membership organisation run by bi people in Wales, and have been running since 2007.
They are entirely run by volunteers and reliant on donations and income from delivering training on bisexuality and bi issues in Wales, which is reinvested in community support and activities. Bi Cymru also run an annual BiFest Wales event, which is a day of workshops, social space, crafts, and community information with evening alternative music gig.
Lets keep our Qymru Qmmunity Connected.
Speak soon.
Mrs SVJ.
#LGBTQymru #WalesWideVirtualPride
Wales Wide Virtual Pride is a free event run by a not for profit organisation who believe in giving back to our community. If you can help with any donation, or sponsorship, please visit our Go Fund Me page.
Find out much, much more, about our fabulous
Fundraiser by following us on all the Socials. Click here to get the first-everWales Wide Virtual Pride in the Diary.
LGBTQymru, are a collective of passionate activists and allies dedicated to keeping our community connected – especially in these uncertain Corona Virus times.
If you would like to contact LGBTQymru, please email our team here.
Sue Vincent-Jones, is a Barry born journalist, editor, and communications specialist. Writing as Mrs SVJ, she blogs about Barry – and her life in the wider world, through the eyes of a, quirky and queer, local girl done good.
As a founding member of LGBTYQymru, Sue promotes the work of the collective who support, celebrate, and connect our community in Wales. She is also Associate Editor of their magazine – Wales’ first ever queer quarterly online bilingual publication.
Mrs SVJ, Barry’s Boldest Blogger, can be contacted here.