The conference looked to hear from voices in the community that go unheard.
In the wake of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Manchester Pride Conference was forced to become a virtual event. This year, the theme was “A Voice for All” as the conference aimed to hear from LGBTQ voices that often go unheard.
The conference, which was held on 24 March, opened with a keynote speech from Gina Battye, an LGBTQ inclusion intersectionality consultant and trainer for multiple Fortunes 500s companies.
Other speakers at the conference included non-binary writer, activist and model Jamie Windust and the editor of South Asian life magazine, Burnt Roti, Sharan Dhaliwal.
The conference also heard from the CEO of Mermaids, Susie Green and Manchester-based drag queen, Cheddar Gorgeous.
There were panel sessions on issues like Problems of Pinkwashing, BAME and LGBTQ+ issues, health and wellness, gender inclusion and bi-erasure. There was also an interview session for Manchester Pride’s All Equals Charter, which it launched last year, which aims to promote LGBTQ inclusion across the region.
Mark Fletcher, the chief executive of Manchester Pride, said: “The Manchester Pride Conference is our opportunity to connect with the various communities of Manchester and talk to them about the issues facing LGTBQ+ people in Greater Manchester.
“The theme for the Conference 2020 was A Voice For All. We are an organisation dedicated to giving a platform to and empowering the LGBTQ+ communities and we remain committed to this, regardless of the current unpredictable situation we are experiencing.
“We decided to deliver the conference online, instead of as a live event.
“The fantastic event featured some excellent speakers and panels and by taking it online and opening the content up to anyone who wants to watch we can ensure that nobody misses out.”
If you missed the event, but are interested in seeing what happened, you can find the livestream archives of the conference here.
Related: Virgin announces three-year partnership with Manchester Pride Festival
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