Parents across the globe will today (Tuesday 30th July) take to social media to share videos, photos or messages that affirm their acceptance and pride of their LGBTQI+ child on Out and Proud Parents Day.
In the last five years, the campaign has grown into a global awareness day, with parents so far taking part from across the UK, India, Australia and North America.
Launched in 2019, Out and Proud Parents Day was launched by Naz and Matt Foundation five years after the death of Dr Nazim Mahmood, who took his own life after his religious family confronted him about his sexuality. This year’s Out and Proud Parents Day will be 10 years since Naz’s tragic death.
Naz and Matt Foundation’s 2020 report showed that LGBTQI+ individuals from a religious or culturally conservative background are twice as likely to feel suicidal as the result of a negative coming out experience to their parents, compared to their LGBTQ+ peers.
This is backed up by recent research by the Trevor Project, which reported that nearly 50% of LGBTQI+ teens considered suicide last year, with 12% attempting suicide last year.
In 2024, Out and Proud Parents Day received a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund to create a podcast series to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the annual celebration of proud parents.
Produced by Aunt Nell, the creators of the award-winning “The Log Books”, the new podcast will share testimonial stories from parents across the globe to influence positive change for LGBTQI+ people in local communities.
Naz and Matt Foundation provides frontline support to LGBTQI+ individuals and parents from religious and culturally conservative backgrounds. They have produced multiple documentary films such as “Discovering Kali” and the award-winning “My God, I’m Queer”.
The Foundation’s work has won “Campaign of the Year” at the Bank of London Rainbow Honours in 2022, with Out and Proud Parents Day also winning the “Faith and Belief Community Award” in 2020 for supporting communities across London.
Matt Mahmood-Ogston, CEO & Founder of the Naz and Matt Foundation, said:
“Five years ago, we embarked on a journey to celebrate the unconditional love and unwavering support that parents can offer their LGBTQI+ children. Now, Out and Proud Parents Day has grown from a small, community-backed movement to a global awareness day.
“Since Out and Proud Parents Day’s launch in 2019, I have been privileged to connect with parents across the globe. Whether these parents have gone on to create local community support groups, take part in our new podcast with Aunt Nell, or simply share their story – every single one has been a role model to parents across the globe and, most importantly, to their children.
“As Out and Proud Parents Dat continues to grow each year, I am proud to continue supporting parents who champion the right for their children to be the person they were born to be.”
Tash Walker, Co-Director of Aunt Nell Productions, said: “We’re so thrilled to partner with Out and Proud Parents Day to tell the full stories—in intimate audio—of these inspirational parents.
“Speaking to parents like Saima, who has dedicated her free time to support and advocate not just for her own children, but the children of LGBTQI+ people across the UK, has been a very moving process. We knew the stories of these Out and Proud Parents would make for an extraordinary podcast series.
“We hope that the “Out and Proud Parents” podcast can help create an empathetic response in parents to begin or continue to support their queer children, both privately and on Out and Proud Parents Day.”
Saima, an Out and Proud Parent and Founder of Rainbow Chai, said: “As a proud mum to my two LGBTQ+ children, I am reminded by each passing Out and Proud Parents Day to be a role model to them.
“Every parent who affirms their queer child moves the needle for their family, their local community and the whole world.
“Through my work with Rainbow Chai, Naz and Matt Foundation’s new support group for parents, I am always heartened to see new parents join our network, but know that, especially in the South Asian community, we have a long way to go to enact real change.”
To get involved in Out and Proud Parents Day, include the #OutAndProudParentsDay on your social media account.
ENDS
For more information or interview requests contact:
Will Paxton
Higginson Strategy
[email protected]
(+44) 7861 517518
Notes to Editor
About Out and Proud Parents Day
Out and Proud Parents Day is an online, free-to-access community event celebrating proud, accepting parents of LGBTQI+ children.
Every 30th July, Out and Proud Parents Day invites parents of LGBTQI+ children (all ages), from all backgrounds, to stand up and come out as Proud Parents so we can celebrate them and their love for their children.
The objective of the day is to create parental role models within communities, and help inspire other parents of LGBTQI+ children to become more accepting of their own children.
About Naz and Matt Foundation
The Naz and Matt Foundation are a grassroots, award-winning charity providing a comprehensive range of trauma-informed support services to LGBTQI+ individuals, or their parents, from religious or culturally conservative backgrounds.
They work to help resolve challenges connected to religion, culture, sexual orientation and gender identity.
How parents can take part in Out and Proud Parents Day
- Login to your Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok or X (formally Twitter)
- Write a message about why you’re proud of your ‘out’ LGBTQI+ child… and attach photos or a video of you, or you two together. If you share photos or video, please make sure you obtain permission from the people in the photo
- Include this hashtag in your post so that everyone’s posts appear as one big stream on the day: #OutAndProudParentsDay
- Post to your social media account
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