2023-06-28 11:46:47
Rae’s Pride story: “I don’t have to hide who I am”
This Pride Month, Rae is sharing what pride means to them and their personal LGBTQIA+ identity to highlight the benefits of coming out for other people with a learning disability or autism.
Rae, who adopted They/Them pronouns just a few months ago, is sharing their strong sense of personal pride, relaying that they now feel freer to be themselves.
Rae, who is also a young ambassador for Voices From Care Cymru, says, “For me, Pride Month means I don’t have to hide who I am for a whole month – this is just ME.
“It means a lot to me to be part of the LGBTQIA+ community, and to have friends who understand what I go through, and who support each other.”
The 27-year-old from Conwy is a club member of Luv2meetU, learning disability charity Hft’s friendship service providing community-based activities and opportunities for learning disabled and autistic adults. They joined last year after seeing their friend Lou’s pictures of a Luv2meetU day trip and thinking it looked like fun.
For Rae, some of the feeling of being welcomed and supported that they get as part of the LGBTQIA+ community has also been echoed in their experiences of Luv2meetU.
“I like that I can make new friends in a comfortable new public setting,” they say.
“Just the other week, I went to Llandudno (North Wales) with our local Luv2meetU group which was the first face-to-face session to take place in over a year. I met some amazing people.”
Research has unfortunately found that learning disabled people, who also identify as LGBTQIA+, face ‘double discrimination’ because of their sexuality or gender. For example, negative attitudes towards learning disabled adults may intensify due to existing stigma around the LGBTQIA+ community.
For Rae, while coming out to other people hasn’t always been a straightforward experience, they fortunately do not feel they have encountered ‘double discrimination’.
Rae believes Pride is, and should be, so much more than a joyful peak in the calendar.
They reflect, “I love seeing all the different colours of the flags, and everyone being happy for a whole month,” they say. “But did you know that Pride, in Canada, is a whole season, not just one month, running throughout the summer months?”
If you would like to find out more about Hft’s Luv2meetU service, visit their website.
Notes to editors
For further information please phone 07500 224654 or email media.enquiries@hft.org.uk
About Hft
Proudly established in 1962 by a group of visionary parents, Hft is a charity supporting more than 2,500 learning disabled adults in England and Wales. Together, we are creating a future where learning disabled people and their families can live the best life possible.
Providing personalised support. Creating solutions for living independently. Coming together to campaign for positive change. Fundraising for new opportunities and a bigger impact.
In 2033, we’ll live in a world where learning disabled people have greater choice. About where they live. The support they need and want. And how to spend their time and money.
Learning disability versus difficulty
A learning disability is different from a learning difficulty but the terms are often confused and used inter-changeably. A learning difficulty does not affect general intellect, whereas a learning disability is a life-long condition characterised by a reduced intellectual ability and struggle with everyday activities.
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For more information about Hft please visit www.hft.org.uk
