This month the Pride Alliance invites you to celebrate the purple stripe of the Pride Flag.  This colour represents spirit.  Faith is an important part of many LGBT+ people’s lives.  However, the misconception that LGBT+ people cannot belong within faith communities has been deeply damaging.

Research by the LGBT+ charity Stonewall found a third of lesbian, gay and bi people of faith (32%) aren’t open with anyone in their faith community about their sexual orientation.  One in four trans people of faith (25%) aren’t open about who they are in their faith community.

Faith has this almost unparalleled ability to bring people from all walks of life together in the name of love. LGBT+ people of faith should feel respected and included in their faith communities, just as they need respect and acceptance in wider society.

There are lots of faith groups for LGBT+ people.  We have included their details below if you feel you need to reach out to them:

• Diverse Church – Christian https://diversechurch.website/
• Hidayah – Islam https://hidayahlgbt.com/
• House of Rainbow – BAME https://www.houseofrainbow.org/
• Imaan – Islam https://imaanlondon.wordpress.com/
• KeshetUK – Jewish https://www.keshetuk.org/
• Open Table Network – Christian https://opentable.lgbt/
• Quest – Catholics https://questlgbti.uk/
• Rainbow Pagans UK – Pagan https://rainbowpagansuk.wordpress.com/