One man from Bradford tried to make sure nobody felt alone at London Pride this weekend by inviting strangers to join him in the celebrations.
Adeel Amini, 33, who now lives in London, took to Twitter ahead of the event to invite people who were attending Pride alone, or felt anxious about going, to come and join his crew.
The TV producer knows all too well how daunting it can be to attend an event like Pride. He says he grew up in a conservative Muslim family and never really took part in Pride events until his mid-twenties.
“It can be quite daunting for a lot of people like me who maybe aren’t so comfortable with their sexuality,” he explains. “Or, you know, I may see groups of LGBT Muslims marching but I’m like: I don’t have that confidence, I don’t know how to get involved, I don’t know those people and I feel a bit daunted, I’ve got a bit of anxiety around it.”
This year he says 20 strangers turned up throughout the day and they celebrated together. “What we tend to forget with Pride parades is that as much as they are inclusive and wonderful, sometimes there are a group of people who still feel they’re on the fringes of it,” he says. “Or they feel like they don’t belong to that community.”
It’s not the first time Amini has met up with strangers at the event. Last year was the first time he had invited others to join him, and the result was that between 20 and 30 people turned up throughout the day to mingle, chat and enjoy the atmosphere.
He had taken to Twitter ahead of the event to say: “If anyone of any race, gender, or sexuality wants to go but feels alone, left out, or anxious/daunted & would like a safe fun space with a band of stragglers, do get in touch.” And he received an outpouring of support.
“We’ve all been that kid on the first day of school that has nobody to talk to, or you get a new job and you don’t know anyone,” he tells HuffPost UK. “I’ve been that person at Pride, I’ve been that person in other environments, I also know how much it’s affected my mental health.” Amini explains that he had a breakdown a few years ago and was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder.
“So [I thought] maybe there are other Adeels out there who have had similar issues, who are struggling and need somebody to talk to.”
Jess Clarke (pictured above, right) was one of those in attendance. “Celebrating the love across London with a group of people I hadn’t met before was an amazing way to spend Pride,” she says.
Meanwhile Sam, who preferred not to share her surname, said: “I loved to be able to spend Pride with brilliant people, brilliant energy and most importantly, where hate does not exist.”
For Amini, the best part of this weekend’s meet-up was seeing people he knows making friends with complete strangers and adding each other on social media.
“You see a lot of gay men, and a lot of people in general, talking about anxiety and crowds,” he continues. “It felt like we’d tapped into something that people wanted to be available.”
This year around 20 people turned up, which was lightly fewer than last year. Amini wonders whether it’s because in the run up to the event he was busy with work so wasn’t able to do as much organising as he would’ve liked to. “But even if three people turned up it’s worth it,” he adds.
The 33-year-old hopes to do a similar meet-up at next year’s events – possibly even bigger and better.
Speaking to those who were put off attending Pride this year because they didn’t want to attend alone, he says: “There’s always going to be a place for you with this group of people who are inclusive, who are going to talk to you.
“It doesn’t matter what background you come from or however you identify, you’re more than welcome to join us and enjoy the day. And it should be enjoyed without any worry, without anything else.”