June is Pride Month. It's a chance to celebrate LGBTQ+ people, reflect on how far we've come and recognise that there's still more to do.
This year feels especially important to me. Not only because I'm part of the LGBTQ+ community, but because Yorkshire Housing is a headline sponsor of Leeds Pride 2026. I'm really proud that we're supporting an event that brings people together, celebrates individuality and helps create spaces where everyone feels welcome.
For many people, Pride is a day of colour, music and celebration, and it should be! But Pride has always been about more than that. At its heart, Pride is about people being able to live openly, safely and without fear of being judged for who they are.
While things have improved over the years, not everyone feels able to be themselves all of the time. Some people still worry about how they'll be treated, whether they'll be accepted, or whether it's safe to be open about who they are.
That's why Pride matters.
For me, it's also a time to reflect. Me and my partner are able to build a life together openly because of the people who came before us. People who spoke up, challenged unfairness and pushed for change when doing so wasn't easy. Their courage helped create the opportunities and freedoms that many of us have today. But progress isn't something we can take for granted.
Creating inclusive communities takes all of us. It means listening to different experiences, challenging discrimination when we see it and making sure everyone feels they belong. At Yorkshire Housing, that's something we care deeply about. Whether it's supporting our customers, our colleagues or the communities we're part of, we want people to feel respected, valued and able to be themselves.
So, this Pride Month, I'll be celebrating. But I’ll also be taking time to reflect on those who helped make that celebration possible and on the role we all have to play in creating a more inclusive future. Because Pride isn'tjust about looking back at how far we've come. It's about making sure everyone has the chance to belong, now and in the future.