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Pride, sometimes known as LGBTIQA+ Pride Month, is an annual month-long observance held each June, dedicated to the celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer pride. It is a time to honour the history, achievements, culture, and resilience of queer individuals and to advocate for continued progress toward equality and inclusion.

Pride Month commemorates the 1969 Stonewall Riots. The Stonewall Riots began on June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City, after a police raid sparked resistance from patrons and local LGBTQ+ community members. The protests lasted several days and became a turning point in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, igniting a global movement for equality and visibility.

As rainbow flags fly proudly across cities around the world in celebration of Pride Month, it is a time to focus on the richness, resilience and diversity within our LGBTIQA+ communities. Pride is more than a celebration of sexuality and gender identity—it is a recognition of the full spectrum of identities, cultures, and lived experiences that shape who we are.

The importance of intersectionality

Intersectionality, a term created by legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw, highlights that people exist at the intersection of multiple, overlapping identities, including race, gender, class, disability, religion, sexuality, and geography. These intersections shape how each individual moves through life, including how we experience privilege, marginalisation, acceptance, and visibility.

Intersectionality is such an important concept. It recognises that our lived experiences are much more complex than can be understood through binaries. For example, an Indigenous trans woman does not just face transphobia; she may also face racism and misogyny in unique and compounding ways. Without understanding these needs, safety, and experiences, they cannot be adequately addressed unless all of these intersecting layers are seen and supported.

Jaymee Beveridge, a proud Aboriginal woman from Far North Queensland, once described the intersections of gender and Aboriginality as an “oil-drenched ladder to equality.” Hard to disagree.

So, rather than viewing our identity through a single lens, intersectionality reminds us that experience cannot be viewed as a singular identity. This layered experience, or intersectionality, requires nuanced understanding and inclusive approaches to advocacy and support. The key message is that there is no ‘one size fits all.’

What does this mean for Pride? Jess Finnegan-Kelly, Workplace Officer in the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion team at UOW, says:

“Pride is at its best when we centre it in intersectionality; this may look like an autistic queer person, or our sistergirls and brotherboys, or a person of Muslim faith and a transgender experience. Inclusion means ensuring we engage with diverse stories, representation, and celebration!”

Standing together for equality and inclusion

Pride’s connection to Stonewall takes on special meaning this year with many examples around the world of LGBTIQA+ communities facing increasingly public hostility and attacks on their right to equality before the law—particularly members of the gender diverse trans community. As the Hon. Michael Kirby has recently said, trans people are “on the front line of the fight for equality,” and we can see this is true right around the world.

Jess-Finnegan Kelly is a Workforce Officer in UOW’s Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Unit. Photo: Supplied.

During Pride Month, we are called to reflect not only on the progress made, but also on the work that remains to ensure true inclusion within the LGBTIQA+ community. Central to this reflection is intersectionality. Intersectionality challenges us to build a movement that is not only inclusive in name, but in practice—one that acknowledges and celebrates the full complexity of who we are.

This Pride Month, we reflect that our diversity is our greatest strength. When we come together with openness and a genuine commitment to inclusion, Pride becomes more than a celebration. It becomes a powerful space where all LGBTIQA+ people can see themselves reflected, valued, and empowered.

Pride is a time to honour the past, celebrate the present, and advocate for a future in which everyone can live openly, authentically, and safely. It is a moment to amplify voices that have been silenced, to listen with intention, and to stand in solidarity with every member of our community.

In celebrating Pride, we reaffirm a simple but profound truth: every person—regardless of how they identify or who they love—deserves dignity, respect, and joy.

Putting Pride into practice

This Pride Month, let’s go beyond celebration towards meaningful action that supports and uplifts our LGBTIQA+ friends, family, and colleagues. At work, inclusion means more than policies—it means creating a culture where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued. Pride is a powerful reminder that diversity strengthens our teams, drives innovation, and fosters a workplace where authenticity is embraced.

• Take time to learn about LGBTIQ+ identities, histories, and experiences.
• Listen with empathy and use your platform to uplift stories and perspectives that are often overlooked.
• Speak up against discrimination, challenge assumptions, and support inclusive language and practices in your daily work.
• Participate in Pride events, share your support, and reflect on how you can contribute to a more inclusive environment year-round.

Let’s work together to ensure that Pride is not just one month, but a movement—one that lives in our values, our actions, and our workplace culture every day.

Professor Trish Mundy. Photo: Paul Jones.

This is an opinion piece written by , a Professor in the School of Law at the ¾«¶«´«Ã½ of ¾«¶«´«Ã½ and Jess Finnegan-Kelly, a Workforce Officer in UOW’s Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Unit. The tenor of the article has been edited by The Stand with the consent of the authors.