FOREST GAYTE PRIDE CIC: OUR MISSION

Forest Gayte Pride is a grassroots community Pride event in the East London neighbourhood of Newham. Over the last few years Forest Gayte Pride has grown from a single market stall and a queer night in a local pub to an organised Community Interest Company. As a three-person committee, we work alongside allies and volunteers within our community on events and functions to promote and engage in educational, cultural and civic activities in order to enrich the lives of LGBTQIA+ people in Newham and beyond.

Our primary aim is to give a voice to LGBTQIA+ residents of Newham through events and education; creating a platform for the queer community to speak out and express themselves in a safe, inclusive space, during pride and beyond. We work to create a safe and welcoming environment within the community for those at risk, in particular the marginalised members of Newham, offering help, advice and support to those who need it, as well as educating and engaging with the allies who want to stand by the LGBTQIA+ community.

MEET THE COMMITTEE

THE FOREST GAYTE PRIDE COMMITTEE IS MADE UP OF THREE FOREST GATE LOCALS; TEACHER AND MUSICIAN ROB DESROCHES, TEACHER CARON HARRISON, WHO WORK WITH LOCAL VOLUNTEERS AND GENEROUS FRIENDS AND ALLIES TO ORGANISE THE ANNUAL PRIDE EVENT, ALONG WITH NUMEROUS LGBTQ+ FUNDRAISERS, COMMUNITY EVENTS, PROTESTS AND PROGRAMMES.

CHALLENGING HOMOPHOBIA IN SCHOOLS

Research shows that homophobic bullying is endemic in schools. It is three times more prevalent than bullying due to religion or ethnicity and not only does this affect pupils’ school work in the vast majority of cases, we also know that half of those affected skipped school to avoid the bullying. 

In many cases it can also have a worrying effect on young people’s mental health; it can be no coincidence that instances of depression are significantly higher among LGBT young people, as are instances of young people attempting to take their own lives.

Even more worryingly, further research has shown that three quarters of primary school teachers hear phrases such as "that’s so gay" or "you’re so gay" in their schools, and many also reported hearing remarks like "poof", "dyke" and "faggot". 

44% of primary teachers also say that young people, regardless of their sexual orientation, experience homophobic bullying, name-calling or harassment in their schools. That this sort of language and behaviour is taking root at such an early age is a problem, which should be addressed.

At Forest Gayte Pride we want to help create and facilitate an inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone, including the children of our community. The LGBT+ Youth of Forest Gate have allies with us. We stand united.

AN OPEN LETTER FROM THE GAY LIBERATION FRONT AND LESBIANS AND GAYS SUPPORT THE MIGRANTS

AT FOREST GAYTE PRIDE WE ARE PROUD TO SUPPORT THE NO PRIDE IN WAR MOVEMENT, AND HAVE ADDED OUR SIGNATURE TO THE OPEN LETTER CALLING FOR ALL PRIDE ORGANISATIONS TO DROP BAE AS A SPONSOR. PLEASE CONTACT US IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN THE PROTEST OR FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT GLF AND LGSM.

"BAE Systems, one of the world’s largest arms manufacturers, is sponsoring Pride events in Blackpool, Portsmouth and Surrey this summer.  

BAE has a long history of arming dictators, fuelling and profiting from conflict. It continues to provide Saudi Arabia, a state that executes its own LGBTQIA+ citizens, with the capacity to commit atrocities in Yemen. It is involved in manufacturing components for the F-16 fighter jets used by Israel to commit war crimes against Palestinians in Gaza. It is helping Turkey develop fighter aircraft at a time when the state is violently oppressing Kurdish communities in Turkey and Syria, and rolling back LGBTQIA+ rights.

'No Pride in War' represents groups challenging the militarisation of Pride, and we’re calling on Pride organisers to drop BAE as a sponsor.

We stand with our queer siblings and other oppressed peoples around the world and fight against companies that seek to co-opt our journey out of oppression.

We cannot celebrate our liberation at Pride when people are being killed with weapons used to fund our parade."