14 hours ago
A decade on, we still need Pride
Three men in Jersey who experienced homophobic abuse, have spoken of the need for Pride, ten years on from the first Channel Islands attended the free event on Saturday with the parade starting in the Royal Square at 13:00 BST before heading to People's Park where the festivities Wiles who took part in the activities recognising the LGBTQ+ community, said "it shows you why we need Pride still" and "we need to show that we're here and we're not going anywhere".Sam Baer said: "Pride is a lasting thing and it's important we continue to be represented like this and show we exist."
Pride brings people together to show support for the LGBTQ+ community but also to raise awareness of the issues many still le Maison praised the celebrations and said there more people in the parade than attendees spoke of the importance of showing solidarity with the wider community in Jersey.
Sam Pearce said "I'm proud of who I am" and "I'm transgender, I'm nonbinary, I'm bisexual and in the past you weren't allowed to be these things".Mr Pearce said growing up trans in Jersey "was a little bit difficult because we are a small community" and "I just thought there was something wrong with me".He was happy that Jersey has become more diverse in the last ten years but admitted recent times had been tough."The trans community is being treated like we are predators trying to convert people against their will but we don't and we just want to make the world safe for ourselves and be part of the community," Mr Pearce added.
Taneesha Anne Spanswick is pansexual and has many friends in the trans said abuse and discrimination some experience "makes people feel like they don't belong" and "they spend most of their lives hiding who they are" but having attended the Pride festival she said she was confident the wider community is an accepting added: "It's empowering to watch everyone be authentically and unapologetically themselves in a community where there's no judgement."
