To mark 50 years of Pride, Metro carried out a series of initiatives and events to celebrate the occasion and continue to fight for those in vulnerable situations due to their sexual or gender identity.
The news brand identified two charities that offer life-saving support to LGBTQ+ people and asked readers to donate to help them both continue to help others.
The first charity was Kyiv Pride, which had opened a shelter providing emergency accommodation to LGBTQ+ people left homeless or penniless by the war in Ukraine. The second was the Albert Kennedy Trust, which supports LGBTQ+ people aged 16-25 in the UK who are facing or experiencing homelessness or living in a hostile environment.
As part of the Pride celebrations, Metro threw its own party at The Box in London’s Soho. It was joined by celebrity guests including Will Young, who took part in a Q&A with presenter and comedian James Barr.
The publisher also produced a ‘Pride Special’ edition, featuring an eye-catching rainbow cover and Pride branding throughout the paper. The Pride edition featured inspiring stories, as well as book, film, and podcast recommendations.
Later in the year, Metro’s Pride logo returned during the football World Cup in Qatar in response to FIFA’s ban on teams’ protests on the host’s human rights record on LGBTQ+ rights.
“A new study from Stonewall revealed just under one in 10 people feel ‘disgust’ towards LGBTQ+ people. Much better than it was 30 years ago, but still not something we’re willing to accept lying down. That’s why we still need to fight for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, and why we will keep raising awareness of the issues that impact their lives. Now, and every day.”
Reporter Richard Hartley-Parkinson in a news story launching the campaign.
