The MPA Celebrates Pride Month

Written by the DEI, CSR and Wellbeing Team

Every June, Pride Month provides an opportunity to celebrate LGBTQIA+ communities, recognise their contributions to music and culture, and reflect on how we can continue building a more inclusive music publishing industry.

For the MPA and our wider community, Pride is about visibility, belonging and celebration. Music has always given people a powerful way to express who they are. LGBTQIA+ artists, songwriters, composers, publishers and industry professionals have helped shape the music and culture we love, creating work that connects people across generations and communities.

Pride is also rooted in courage and progress. The Stonewall Riots of June 1969 are often seen as a major turning point in LGBTQIA+ history, but LGBTQIA+ communities were organising and advocating for change long before Stonewall. Earlier moments of activism, including the Compton’s Cafeteria Riot, remind us that Pride has been shaped by generations of people working towards equality, safety and dignity.

This history matters, but Pride is also a joyful celebration of community. It reminds us of the power of creating spaces where people feel seen, supported and able to be themselves.

In the workplace, inclusion makes a real difference. Stonewall research found that 39% of LGBTQ+ employees still feel the need to hide that they are LGBTQ+ at work, while 26% have experienced negative comments or conduct from customers or clients because of their identity. Office for National Statistics data also shows that 8.0% of people aged 16 to 24 identified as lesbian, gay or bisexual in 2024, compared with 1.2% of people aged 65 and over.

These figures show why it is important to keep creating workplaces where people feel confident, valued and supported.

Music publishing is built on people, relationships and creativity. It depends on collaboration between writers, composers, publishers, managers, labels, sync teams and wider industry partners. When people feel that they belong, creativity can thrive.

Pride Month is a chance for organisations to celebrate LGBTQIA+ voices, spotlight contributions across the industry and encourage meaningful allyship. Sharing resources, supporting LGBTQIA+ networks, reviewing workplace culture, hosting conversations and celebrating LGBTQIA+ creativity all help build a stronger and more welcoming industry.

Individuals also have an important role to play. Using inclusive language, respecting names and pronouns, challenging discrimination and listening to others all help create a culture where everyone can contribute fully and authentically.

For the MPA, Pride Month is a reminder of the importance of visibility, community and inclusion across music publishing. Through networks such as BeYOU and continued conversations across our membership, we can help build a sector that is welcoming, representative and full of opportunity.

Pride is more than one month in the calendar. It is a celebration of LGBTQIA+ creativity, resilience and community. It is also a hopeful reminder of what we can achieve when people come together to champion inclusion.

How to Support LGBTQIA+ Communities This Pride Month

• Learn about the history of Pride, including Stonewall and the wider LGBTQIA+ movements that came before and after it
• Celebrate LGBTQIA+ voices by listening to music, reading books, watching films and supporting LGBTQIA+ creators
• Be an active ally by challenging discrimination, correcting misconceptions and speaking up when something is not right
• Support LGBTQIA+ organisations through donations, volunteering or sharing their work
• Create inclusive spaces by reviewing workplace culture, policies and everyday behaviours
• Listen with empathy and make space for LGBTQIA+ colleagues, friends and communities to share their experiences

 

Useful Resources

MPA BeYOU Employee Network

Stonewall — LGBTQ+ Workplace Inclusion Resources

Stonewall — Empowering Individuals

Pride in London

Mind — LGBTQIA+ Mental Health Useful Contacts

Music Support