Hello and welcome!!

This page gives you some information about the Pride & Co project, together with links to further information, including how to participate in the project. If you have any questions about the research please do not hesitate to get in touch with me (Sharif Mowlabocus) by email: s.j.mowlabocus@sussex.ac.uk 

…PRIDE

The first Pride parade was held in New York in 1970. Since then, Pride has become a global phenomenon and annual parades, festivals and events take place across the world. As you might expect, Pride has changed a lot over the last fifty years and its meaning has also been contested. Some people believe that Pride is about protest and politics. Others feel that it is a time to party and have fun. Some believe that only LGBTQ people should be involved, while others feel that Pride should be more inclusive.

… & Co?

One of the most common debates about Pride concerns the involvement of private companies and organisations. It is not uncommon today to see representatives from banking institutions, technology providers, beverage companies and sportswear manufacturers marching in annual parades. Pride committees often rely on investment and sponsorship from these companies to cover the cost of putting on the parade and other events.

But this external involvement has been criticised by some people, who feel that Pride is selling out or ‘selling’  gay consumers to companies, who otherwise do little for LGBTQ rights. Others have accused Pride of becoming one big sponsorship exercise.

… Research

Many researchers have discussed the financing and politics of Pride, but nobody has spoken to the LGBTQ people who work for Pride’s sponsors. This research addresses that absence. Using semi-structured interviews, the research gives a voice to LGBTQ employees who work for companies that have a presence at Pride. These interviews aim to answer the following questions:

• How do LGBTQ people negotiate their personal and professional engagements with Pride?
• How do LGBTQ people feel about representing (or not representing) their employer at Pride?
• Do LGBTQ people experience any pressure or expectations from their employer to be involved in Pride?
• (How) does marching under an employer’s banner feel different to your other experiences of Pride engagement?

Below you will find links to further information, including how to join the study.

Perhaps most importantly, the project wants to hear from *any* LGBTQ employee of a sponsoring company – you do not have to have represented a company or organisation at Pride to participate. The project is looking for people who choose to participate Pride as well as those who do not.

Participant criteria

Participant information & consent form

Confidentiality

About the interview

Apply to be interviewed

About the researcher