Pride Awareness Month, celebrated every June, is a vital time for honouring the LGBTQ+ community, a recognition of history which advocates equality and inclusion.

Pride Month is a celebration of the rich diversity within the LGBTQ+ community.  It encourages people to embrace who they are without fear or shame, promoting self-acceptance and visibility.  It raises awareness about the challenges LGBTQ+ individuals face, including discrimination, mental health disparities, and legal inequalities.  Education during Pride helps dismantle stereotypes and fosters empathy and understanding.

Pride Month commemorates the Stonewall Riots of 1969, a pivotal moment in the LGBTQ+ rights movement.  It honours the activists who fought and continue to fight for equal rights. Despite progress, LGBTQ+ individuals still face systemic discrimination in many parts of the world.

Pride Month is a platform for advocating for legal protections, healthcare access, and social acceptance.  Pride events create a sense of belonging and solidarity.  They offer safe spaces for LGBTQ+ people and allies to connect, support one another, and celebrate their shared humanity.  By highlighting LGBTQ+ role models and stories, Pride Month inspires younger generations to live authentically and work toward a more inclusive future.

During the month of June lessons across school will make links to LGBTQ+ achievement in the subject field.  To start the new summer term all students had an online virtual assembly from Just Like Us LGBTQ+ organisation, who specialise in raising LGBTQ+ education in schools across the UK, in line with the age appropriate PSHE statutory guidance framework 2020.  The opening Pride assembly was delivered by two transgender spokespeople who spoke about their experiences of growing up transgender.  They talked about the challenges this brought and how they overcame their challenges.  Students were inspired by this and further developed their inclusivity approach to diversity.

Woodkirk Academy is honoured to be invited to perform the opening number at this year’s Leeds Youth Music Celebration Concert on 1 July at Leeds First Direct Arena.  The concert is funded by ArtForms and will feature over 1000 young performers from across the city, representing over 125 schools.

On Friday 6 June, composer and percussionist Tim Brain came into school to lead a workshop with our very own Samba Band, comprised of Year 10 BTEC Music students. This ensemble brings together a diverse group of musicians, including choristers, violinists, guitarists and brass players.  Embracing the vibrant rhythms of Samba, students dedicated themselves to mastering this energetic genre in under an hour, marching to the beat and performing the music from memory. 

Joining them in the performance at the concert will be our esteemed Brass Band, featuring students from Years 7 to 12. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for these musicians to perform on an arena stage to an audience of thousands.

Tickets can be purchased from the First Direct Arena website here.