Dorset's LGBTQ+ youth face anxiety on 50th Pride anniversary

Today marks the final day of Pride Month 2022. The first Pride rally in the UK was held on 1st July 1972.

LGBTQ+ charity Space Youth Project in Dorset says in that time society has made great progress in that time.

But she's warning some members of the community still face a 'lack of love' and being misunderstand.

Helen Walsh from the charity said:

"We need to say that 50 years, things have changed remarkably well but there is still a way to go. Our young people are being challenged by society not accepting change especially with regard to non-binary and trans identities.

"There is a lot of lack of love and poor understanding and powerful loud voices mis-representing the reality of the lives of especially trans and non-binary people. That is our biggest challenge."

Helen added that changes to abortion rights in America will be having an impact on anxiety levels among young people, as they will be worried about the rights so many fought hard for.

She added:

"In the UK there are some horrible people that have become a voice that government, for example, are listening to. They're very manipulative, they are very damaging. They don't want to love everybody for who they are, they're not giving people a chance.

"Young people full stop are very anxious, people full stop are very anxious at the moment.

"LGBT+ people have all of those growing up anxieties plus a shed-load more because of people not being as kind and as accepting and as loving as they should be."