Today we had another meeting about the company marking Pride at work. The theme is largely “be yourself”. There are about eight of us on in the group, a mix of LGBTQ+ and allies. Also number of us are also neuro-divergent – in fact I suspect that all the LGBTQ+ people are.
There’s going to be a Pride hub on the intranet and we are all contributing content. I have a couple of articles on my double coming out (which I’ll post here next month), others have written articles on prominent tech LGTBQ+ people (we are a software house, so they are very appropriate), there will be a Pride themed bake off, a book club, movie and music playlists, a Pride events directory, an intranet make-over, and a directory of LGBTQ+ charities relating to prison and probation (that’s where the software we write gets used).
I think that the company has championed Pride this year because of the increasingly trans~ and homophobic political environment. I’ll acknowledge that it’s trans people taking the brunt of it right now – but you gotta know that it won’t stop there.
Charities Supporting LGBTQIA+ People in Custody and Beyond
I thought that it would be useful to share the details of the five LGBTQIA+ charities; some of them resonate with the kind of systems my day job touches: prisons, probation, and justice.
🏛️ Prisoners’ Advice Service (PAS)
PAS offers free legal support to people in prison across England and Wales, helping them understand and assert their rights. They’re especially vital for LGBTQIA+ prisoners navigating discrimination or lack of legal protection behind bars. Their clear, practical legal guides are a lifeline.
✉️ Bent Bars Project
A volunteer-led project that connects LGBTQIA+ prisoners with pen pals on the outside. It’s a small act of connection with a huge impact – reducing isolation, affirming identity, and building solidarity through the post. They also publish writing by LGBTQIA+ people inside.
📚 Stonewall
One of the UK’s leading LGBTQIA+ advocacy groups. They provide policy guidance and educational resources for organisations, including in the criminal justice sector. Great for training and raising awareness among staff working in complex environments.
🏥 LGBT Foundation
Based in Manchester but with national reach, they focus on LGBTQIA+ health, wellbeing, and inclusion. They run training programmes and offer support services, including a helpline and counselling – valuable for both staff and service users facing discrimination.
🌍 OutRight Action International
A global LGBTQIA+ rights organisation working with governments and employers to promote inclusion. Less specific to prisons or probation, but useful for thinking about broader workplace equity and international perspectives.
I am particularly drawn to Bent Bars because that’s a letter writing charity – and y’all know how I love to write! I don’t want to make a promise I can’t keep – especially to someone already vulnerable. That would do more harm than good..
I am going to sit on that thought for a little longer and see how I feel about it: I do not want to make a commitment that I cannot keep to support somebody vulnerable – that will only harm them further.
Eunuchorn 
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