Parliament fly LGBT rainbow flag for the first time
3 June 2016
Parliament will join the 2016 Pride in London celebrations by flying the LGBT rainbow flag from the top of Portcullis House for the entire London Pride weekend (24-26 June). This is the very first time the rainbow flag has been flown from Parliament and we are delighted to mark the occasion in this way.
On Wednesday 25 May, Parliament's Workplace Equality Network, ParliOUT, gifted the 6ft x 12ft rainbow flag to the Speakers of both Houses. The flag will be raised at 1pm on Friday 24th June and fly proudly over our iconic building for Pride 2016.
At their fifth birthday celebration in December 2015, ParliOUT announced their intentions to fly a rainbow flag over Parliament for the first time and sought the appropriate permissions. The cost of the flag has been met entirely by donations from ParliOUT network members and related ParliOUT events (such as a bucket collection during LGBT History Month).
About ParliOUT
ParliOUT is the multi-awarding winning network in support of LGBTIQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and questioning) people in Parliament and its principal aim is to make LGBTIQ role models more visible and accessible. With its fellow networks, it helps to create a supportive and inclusive working environment by providing guidance, educational and networking opportunities to all people in Parliament.
In 2014, ParliOUT won the Pink News award for “Employee Network of the Year” and in 2015 it was named as one of the UK's 'Awesome Networks' by Inclusive Networks.
As well as promoting Parliament as an inclusive employer that is proud to support its LGBTIQ staff, London Pride is a great way to raise awareness of Parliament as a democratic institution that everyone can get involved with and make themselves heard.
ParliOUT have been taking part in the Pride in London parade for four years (this will be the fifth year), but this is the first time they have teamed up with the Outreach and Engagement Team. They will march in the parade, hand out ParliOUT stickers and have their own red double decker bus.
As the theme for Pride 2016 is #No Filter, UK Parliament will be running with the photography theme and asking crowds to take selfies with our 'Get on board, Do Democracy' placard. We hope this will be a successful pilot and that Parliament can travel to different regions for future Pride marches.
Further Information:
- Find out more about Parliament's Workplace Equality Network, ParliOUT
- Please direct all press enquiries to hocmediacorporate@parliament.uk