{"id":11639,"title":"Pride Month 2021","description":"June has become Pride Month, a month selected as it marks the anniversary of the 1970 Stonewall Riots in New York. Stonewall is largely considered to be the birth of a movement that has fought for equal rights for the LGBTQ+ community in a vast variety of ways around the world. I have watched the P","content":"

\"\"June has become Pride Month, a month selected as it marks the anniversary of the 1970 Stonewall Riots in New York. Stonewall is largely considered to be the birth of a movement that has fought for equal rights for the LGBTQ+ community in a vast variety of ways around the world.<\/p>

I have watched the Pride movement grow, evolve and become increasingly commercialised over the years. Brands sometimes embrace the rainbow flag appearing to be supportive of the challenges we face as a community. Some have committed to the fight by supporting organisations all year round. Alas some brands can still be accused of slapping a rainbow flag on their logo in a transparent attempt to show solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community and to even exploit the so-called pink pound without sincerely contributing to the battles we still face.\"\"
My work with The Pansy Project<\/a> raises awareness of homophobic and transphobic hate crime. Since 2005 I\u2019ve been planting pansies at the locations of hatred around the world, in New York in 2019, I planted a pansy to commemorate the riots at Stonewall. Though The Pansy Project is explicitly involved with the challenges that face our community my work does not absolve me from continuing to learn and educate myself. My continuing mission is to better understand the intersectional nature of the obstacles that many of us still have to overcome.<\/p>

With #BirdsCanFly I want to challenge homophobia and racism in the world of natural history, I want to support and promote equality, compassion and education on the rights of eveyone to enjoy and love nature, I hope that my new work does this by showing that queer people love birds, enjoy ornithology and have huge curiosity in the natural world. I hope if you\u2019re here reading this you are either a member of the LGBTQ+ family or a very welcome ally.<\/p>

To mark #PrideMonth<\/a> I have designed this #BirdsCanFly<\/a> social media poster, I have referenced the colours of the more welcoming LGBTQ+ flag. A flag that visually embraces and acknowledges people of colour and our trans siblings more visibly. I hope that you will share this is in solidarity with #BirdLovers<\/a> of all background and identity to help share my journey of discovery and to celebrate intersectionality in the world of ornithology. Being an ally is more than tolerating, more than supporting, it is learning, reading and educating those around you with love , understanding and compassion! #HappyPride<\/a>.<\/p>

If you\u2019re a curious ally, you can discover much more about my work on www.thepansyproject.com<\/a> where the are videos and details of the more than 300 pansies I have planted.<\/p>