I’m writing this a fortnight after the 2022 DIVA Awards and I’m still glowing from the memory. After two years of the pandemic and being, necessarily, kept apart from each other, it was so invigorating to be surrounded by our community once more.
The fabulously dressed guest list featured A-list stars – “National Trevor” Sandi Toksvig, top hat enthusiast Suranne Jones, bicon in a lime green trouser suit Pearl Mackie and, my number one celesbian crush, Rosie Jones – as well as gamechanging activists, including the awesome UK Black Pride team. We honoured queeroes like Doctor Who dreamboats Thasmin, groundbreaking comedian Mae Martin and Radio 1’s magnificent Adele Roberts, who is sharing her journey with bowel cancer online to help end stigma and save lives.
There was a palpable buzz in the air that night. As a big gay room, we cheered for trans rights, we danced like we hadn’t a care in the world and we healed like we needed to. This event wasn’t just a case of queer joy; it was pure queer magic.
Now, as we head into Pride season, I’m thinking a lot about the extraordinary power of our community. There are still those out there who want us to believe that, as LGBTQIApeople, we are alone, we are other and we are wrong. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Despite how it can sometimes seem, we are many and we are glorious. Even more so when we are united.
So however you’re celebrating Pride this year, whether you’re plastering yourself in rainbow glitter for your local parade, or cosying up with a cuppa reading the DIVA Pride Issue,
I hope that you feel the thrill of that collective queer spirit in the air. I hope that you are reminded that you’re a member of quite possibly the world’s coolest club and that you are valid
and awesome, exactly the way you are. And I hope that you feel proud.

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