9 LGBTQA+ Charities You Can Support This Pride Month and Beyond
Pride Month is here once again! Of course recognised as a time for celebration, it’s important to also note that Pride is also a time to support and listen to LGBTQA+ communities, to uplift them, and give them a platform. Brands may lose their rainbow branding and limited edition products come July 1st, but that doesn’t mean that our allyship should stop there.
There are a number of issues disproportionately impacting members of the queer community, such as improper healthcare access, homelessness, poor mental health, and discrimination. With that in mind, we put together a few charities here in the UK that you can support further beyond Pride Month.
UK Black Pride
UK Black Pride celebrates LGBTQA+ people of African, Caribbean, Middle Eastern, Asian, and Latin American descent. This grassroots movement advocates for queer people of colour all year round, with “donations [going] towards our annual (digital or physical) celebrations, community outreach and hardship funds.”
Donate
Micro Rainbow
Micro Rainbow’s core objective is to support LGBTQI asylum seekers and refugees, allowing them to fulfil their potential despite the barriers facing them, including poverty and homelessness. They describe their vision as one to “create a world where lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, gay and intersex people are safe, free from discrimination, persecution and have equal opportunities in life, including in accessing employment, training, financial services and housing.”
Donate
Metro
Metro’s work targets the health and wellbeing of the LGBTQA+ community by offering a number of services including support for communities affected by HIV. Their mission states: “We promote health and wellbeing through our transformative services to anyone experiencing issues relating to sexuality, gender, equality, diversity and identity, and use our unique insight from these transformative services and our diverse heritage to influence decision makers and to effect positive change.
Donate
Galop
Galop is an anti-abuse charity who, as a consequence of the pandemic, needs support more than ever (much like many other organisations). They work to support people in the LGBTQ+ community who are experiencing domestic abuse, hate crime, sexual violence and more. They run two helplines: one tackling domestic abuse and the other tackling hate crime. They describe themselves as “trauma-informed…empowerment-based…person-centred.”
Donate
Exist Loudly
Founded by LGBTQA+ activist and campaigner Tanya Compas, Exist Loudly was set up as a hardship fund, supporting queer Black youth in London. Talking to ASOS earlier this month to celebrate Exist Loudly’s collaboration with COLLUSION, Compas said: “We are a London-based youth organisation committed to creating spaces of joy, community and care for Black LGBTQ+ youths through creative intervention, self-expression and digital storytelling. To ‘exist loudly’ is to exist as yourself, however that may be.”
Donate
Mermaids
Mermaids supports trans, non-binary and gender-diverse children and their families, by providing them with the necessary tools to help them navigate everything from mental wellbeing, education, and health services. They also work to “improve awareness, understanding and practices of teachers, GP’s, CAMHS, Social Services and other professionals.” The charity supports children and young people until their 20th birthday, but also offers web chat support to students under 25.
Donate
Gendered Intelligence
Established in 2008, Gendered Intelligence (GI) is a charity that works to improve the lives of trans people, with their three key departments made up of professional and educational services, youth and communities services, and public engagement. On their website, GI writes: “We are a trans-led and trans-involving grassroots organisation with a wealth of lived experience, community connections of many kinds, and a depth and breadth of trans community knowledge that is second to none.”
Donate
Hidayah
Hidayah is a volunteer-led charity supporting the needs of LGBTQI+ Muslims. Meaning guidance in Arabic, Hidayah offers a range of services including social events, mentoring, workshops, email support and more. “Our vision is to ensure our voices are heard and understood. Our mission is to provide support and welfare for LGBTQI+ Muslims and promote social justice and education about our community to counter discrimination, prejudice and injustice.”
Donate
Switchboard
The leading LGBTQA+ helpline in the UK, Switchboard provides support and information to communities via phone, email and live chat. Founded back in 1974, Switchboard’s mission has pivoted throughout the decades, dedicating their efforts to the issues of the day, such as the decriminalisation of male homosexuality, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and the aftermath of the 1999 bombing of the Admiral Duncan pub in Soho. Having answered millions of calls over four decades, Switchboard continue to need help. “On average it costs £4 for each call we answer and we answer around 15,000 calls a year,” writes Switchboard.
Donate
To find out more about charities offering LGBTQA+ support and helplines, head to our Resources.
Image credit: Cecilie Johnsen
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