Celebrating LGBTQIA+ Pride Month
Stand in solidarity with LGBTQIA+ , colleagues and service s
June is Pride Month – a time to celebrate LGBTQIA+ people, communities and history. We’re proud to stand with LGBTQIA+ , colleagues and service s. We’re committed to building a profession where everyone can thrive, free from discrimination and full of pride.
Why Pride matters to occupational therapy
Occupational therapy is all about enabling people to live the life they want – whoever they are, wherever they come from and however they identify. We know that for many LGBTQIA+ people, this can mean navigating barriers, stigma and exclusion.
That’s why inclusion is at the heart of what we do. By understanding the unique experiences of LGBTQIA+ people, we can offer more responsive, respectful and effective care. And by championing diversity within our profession, we become stronger, more creative and more comionate.
Why it matters now more than ever
Pride Month isn’t just a celebration – it’s a call to solidarity and action. Around the world and here in the UK, LGBTQIA+ rights are being challenged. From the spread of misinformation and hate speech to the rolling back of hard-won protections, the climate for LGBTQIA+ people is becoming more hostile.
For occupational therapists, this is a professional issue as well as a personal one. Discrimination and fear have a direct impact on people’s health, wellbeing and ability to live full lives. We must be prepared to listen, advocate and stand up – in our workplaces, our services and our communities.
What we're doing
Our hero ‘O’
As we do every year to mark LGBTQIA+ Pride Month, we'll be changing the ‘O’ in our RCOT logo to show solidarity with our LGBTQIA+ , colleagues and people everywhere.
The design is based on Daniel Quasar’s progress pride flag.
The ‘O’ in our logo represents our identity as an organisation as well as ‘occupation’. We wouldn’t be here without the LGBTQIA+ folks who have significantly contributed to our profession.
Your member logo
For the first time ever, we’re able to provide with an LGBTQIA+ Pride month version of the Member of RCOT (MRCOT) logo!
Add it to your digital platforms, celebrate in your signatures or wave it at a Pride event near you!
Spotlighting the voices, stories and contributions of LGBTQIA+ occupational therapists
During the month, we’ll post blogs from OTs that explore the intersection of identities.
What you can do
Read and share
If you’re ready to read something now, explore our back catalogue:
Understanding the needs of LGBTQ+ older people | RCOT
What it means for me to be an ally to the LGBTQIA+ community | RCOT
EDB Insights sessions | RCOT – Number seven: Trans and non-binary awareness
https://youtu.be/xALmwav-aBo – Ed Sum – Career Conversations
the conversation
can head over to the RCOT Communities platform to start conversations, share interesting resources, promote great research and celebrate LGBTQIA+ pride.
Be a critical friend
If you want to LGBTQIA+ OTs and act as a critical friend to RCOT, you could the LGBTQIA+ Expert Advisory Group.
Email [email protected] to .
Challenge your own biases
Explore our Equity, Diversity and Belonging toolkit. This first toolkit focuses on critical self-awareness and will help you build insight into your own biases and guide you in overcoming them.
Show your
However you celebrate Pride, show your colours this June. Whether it’s updating your email signature, wearing a pin badge or simply starting a conversation – visibility matters.
We’d love to see our sharing LGBTQIA+ pride across the world of OT. If you attend a local pride event, hold a work event or snap a photo of something you’re reading – share it on social media and tag us alongside the #OTPride.
Our commitment to equity, diversity and belonging
We know that real change takes action. That’s why equity, diversity and belonging are core to our strategy, our leadership and our work with . We're listening, learning and working together to create a profession where every LGBTQIA+ person feels seen, valued and safe.
Check out our Equity, diversity and belonging strategy and action plan.