It is Pride Month in the UK, which marks a celebration of all LGBTQ+ communities but there is also a real focus on understanding the everyday battles LGBTQ+ people have to overcome.

Throughout June it is an important time to raise awareness around the difficult everyday situations many LGBTQ+ people find themselves in, especially during the ongoing worldwide pandemic – with a recent study finding that more than two thirds of LGBTQ+ people showed significant symptoms of depression during lockdown.

There are some key statistics that it is important to be aware of from national reports that help to illustrate the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ young people today. By coming to terms with the context of the lives and experiences of LGBTQ+ people, we can hopefully better understand and support them through difficult times.

It has also been found that LGBTQ+ respondents are less satisfied with life than the general UK population, and this could be for a number of reasons, including those listed above. Whether it is due to anti-LGBTQ messages in the mainstream media, bullying, violent hate crimes, stereotyping, and other forms of discrimination – and this may be online or face to face.

If you are a young person from the LGBTQ+ community and you need support for your mental health then please contact Just Like Us, on the following numbers:

The club work continuously with our LGBTQ+ supporter group, Marching Out Together, to ensure we are listening and supporting the needs of the LGBTQ+ community. If you would like to learn more about their work or speak with a member, please contact them on Twitter @MarchingoutLUFC.

The Leeds United Foundation have also been celebrating Pride Month with regular sessions around Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion with participants across each programme and the launch of an exciting video campaign to find out what Pride means to the people in Leeds. If you would like more information or to take part, please contact [email protected].