Celebrating Pride Month All Year Round

Phorest has long celebrated and supported the LGBTQIA+ community within the salon industry and beyond. And taking the time to listen, reflect, elevate and support the experiences, voices, and contributions of this community is part of our ongoing commitment to inclusion and education. In the spirit of helping one another grow, we’ve compiled a collection of resources and recommendations created by, for, and about the LGBTQIA+ community. Whether you’re celebrating Pride Month or simply seeking to deepen your understanding and allyship throughout the year, these suggestions aim to inspire reflection, connection and action.

First Things First: Why Do We Celebrate Pride Month?

In the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, following constant police harassment, raids, and tired of experiencing discrimination and violence, patrons of The Stonewall Inn — which was popular among the poorest and most marginalized people in the gay community — fought back against members of the New York Police Department after officers once more violently raided the bar. This uprising became a symbol of resilience and sparked a series of spontaneous riots and demonstrations across the city.

A year after what became known as the Stonewall Riots, the first Pride marches emerged in four different cities in the US as acts of protest against the injustices the community faced. These events went beyond the celebrations of identity and love that we see in many Pride Marches today; they were demands for equal rights, a call for the decriminalisation of LGBTQIA+ people, and an end to the discrimination the community faced. These protests paved the way for significant change in America and across the globe.

In many countries today, Pride Month is a time when the LGBTQIA+ community and its allies come together to honour and celebrate those who came before us and fought tirelessly for the rights and freedoms we now have. However, as we see rights being rolled back across the globe, it’s essential to remember that amidst the celebrations, Pride Month serves as a reminder of the progress we’ve made, the work and many fights that still lie ahead, and that love is not enough when it fails to be paired with action and accountability.

With this in mind, here are some of our recommendations for how you and your salon business can make a difference this Pride Month and beyond.

Put Your Money To Good Use

As a business, one of the most powerful ways of making a difference is by donating money to charitable organisations that continue to fight for the rights and freedoms of the LGBTQIA+ community in your locality and worldwide. While you may reside in a country where LGBTQIA+ people have many equal rights, social issues such as bullying, homophobia and a lack of family, mental, and sexual health support may still be prevalent.

Here are some charities that are doing incredible things to help in these areas:

That said, even if there has been progress where you live, it is important to acknowledge that there are still large portions of the world where it is extremely dangerous to be an openly out member of the LGBTQIA+ community. In many countries around the world, LGBTQIA+ people face horrific discrimination, criminalisation and threats in their everyday lives, which force people to hide their identities and sometimes even flee to more tolerant places as refugees.

Some charities that work tirelessly to support these people include:

By investing your business’s revenue in charitable causes, you can make a huge difference in the lives of people in this beautiful community.

Make a Commitment to Education & Change

Don’t shy away from having uncomfortable conversations! Educating your team and implementing LGBTQIA+ inclusive policies in your salon is not just something to focus on during Pride Month, but is vital for creating an inclusive and welcoming space for everyone in your business. Educate your team about LGBTQIA+ issues, how to support LGBTQIA+ clients and use the correct terminology when in the salon. Invest in training courses on inclusivity to promote greater understanding and empathy within the team.

Here are some great courses on topics that we’ve mentioned above, many of which the team at Phorest have been partaking in:

Similarly, implementing LGBTQIA+ inclusive policies, such as gender-neutral restrooms, service-based pricing, and inclusive language in all client communications, can send a powerful message of support. It will make your LGBTQIA+ clients feel safer, more welcomed, and affirmed. Similarly, partnering with a salon-inclusivity organisation such as the Dresscode Project shows your clients and prospects that your company stands for equality, not just during Pride Month, but all year round.

In addition to cultivating a more welcoming space, committing to education and positive change within your salon will attract new clients who seek a place where they can be their authentic selves. Those who feel genuinely supported within your salon space will then naturally come back to you, positively impacting your client retention.

Create a Welcoming Space

Create a space in your salon that caters to the unique needs of the LGBTQIA+ community and fosters an inclusive environment. Here are two Phorest salons leading the way in this space.

KITCH Hair: A Genderless Space Elevating the In-Salon Experience

KITCH Hair, a genderless space elevating the in-salon experience, is a unisex salon based in London. With pricing based on hair length, products, and time rather than gender, and retro, fifties-style decor, the salon offers the highest standards of hairdressing alongside a unique experience that aims to make everyone who visits feel welcomed and comfortable.

KITCH is proud of its inclusive ethos, noting, “We are not a traditional barbershop excluding women and the LGBT community, nor are we another soulless salon; we encourage people’s differences and celebrate individuality.”

By offering a space that proudly displays its inclusive LGBTQIA+ policies, KITCH opens its doors to people who may not always feel represented in traditional salon or barbering environments.

DKUK Hair Salon: Exhibiting Artwork Instead of Mirrors

Another salon prioritising inclusivity and client comfort is DKUK Hair Salon in Peckham, UK. Rather than have clients sit in front of mirrors, the salon team instead displays artwork in front of their chairs. Alongside helping to platform local artists and make art more accessible, replacing mirrors with art aims to reduce the anxiety levels some clients may feel about visiting a traditional salon environment and staring at themselves for hours at a time. This is especially helpful for clients who suffer from gender dysphoria or body dysmorphia.

“People don’t just come to look at the exhibition. Art is important to me, but it’s not important to everyone. We are very big in the trans, queer, and LGBTQ+ community and with people with body dysmorphia and anxiety who find it very difficult or next to impossible to sit in front of a mirror. Our involvement in these communities has come about very naturally,” explained Daniel Kelly of DKUK Hair Salon.

Share The Love!

Here at Phorest, we love sharing book, movie, music and podcast recommendations. Why not do the same for your team and clients, but with a focus on content made for, by, and about the LGBTQIA+ community? While our resident podcaster and Global Education Content Lead, Alex, created a comprehensive list for the Phorest team to explore, we encourage you to explore this selection of what he recommended.

Books

Movies

Call Me By Your Name
Paris is Burning
Moonlight
Vera (1986 film)
Carol

Publications

Podcasts

Petty Little Things with Irish Drag Queens Victoria Secret & Davina Devine
Resurrection with Dane Stewart
Call Me Mother with Shon Faye
LGBTQ&A: The Most Interesting People In The World Are Queer with Jeffrey Masters
I’m Grand Mam with Kevin Twomey and PJ Kirby
A Bit Fruity with Matt Bernstein

Be Proud, All Year Round

Whether you identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community or not, you can use your power as a business owner as a catalyst for change this Pride Month and beyond. Let’s come together to uplift and support the LGBTQIA+ community, celebrating how far we’ve come and reflecting on how far we still have to go.

Celebrating Beyond Pride Month; Making Your Salon A Safer Space for The LGBTQIA+ Community All Year Round