Out and Proud Parents Day
Out and Proud Parents Day is an annual global online celebration held on 30 July that brings together parents of LGBTQI+ children to publicly share their love, acceptance, and pride. The event was founded by the Naz and Matt Foundation, a UK-based charity that supports LGBTQI+ individuals from religious and culturally conservative backgrounds.
History
Out and Proud Parents Day was launched on 30 July 2019, marking the fifth anniversary of Dr Nazim Mahmood's death. Dr Mahmood was a gay doctor living in London who took his own life in 2014, two days after being confronted about his sexuality by his deeply religious parents. He was the fiancé of Matt Mahmood-Ogston, who founded the Naz and Matt Foundation in Naz's memory. The initiative transformed what had been a day of tragedy into a celebration of love, hope, and visibility to ensure no other family would face what Naz experienced.
How It Works
On 30 July each year, parents are invited to share videos, photos, and messages on social media celebrating their LGBTQI+ children using the hashtag #OutAndProudParentsDay. These posts create a collective movement of positive parental role models, particularly aimed at parents in communities where acceptance may feel difficult. The day helps break down barriers of fear, shame, and stigma by showing that embracing and celebrating LGBTQI+ children is both possible and life-changing.
Content and Impact
Since its launch, the Foundation has produced a library of video interviews with parents from the United Kingdom, United States, India, and Australia representing diverse faith backgrounds including Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Hinduism, and Atheism. These videos have contributed to two BBC documentaries featuring individuals from the campaign.
In 2024, the Foundation launched the Out and Proud Parents podcast, a six-episode series funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and co-produced with Aunt Nell. The podcast shares moving stories of parents who have embraced their LGBTQI+ children, covering topics including learning about language and pronouns, navigating unsupportive communities, and bringing pride into family life. The series features two mothers from India who explain why putting love for their children above culture or religion matters deeply.
Recognition
Out and Proud Parents Day has received significant media coverage including BBC Breakfast, BBC News, DIVA Magazine, Gay Times, and Gaydio. The initiative won the Faith and Belief Community Award in 2020 for supporting faith and belief communities in Greater London, and received a Bank of London Rainbow Honours Award in 2022.
Mission
The primary goal of Out and Proud Parents Day is to help prevent LGBTQI+ suicide by providing parents struggling to accept their children with positive role models and reassurance that they are not alone. The initiative helps parents become visible advocates within their communities, building stronger family relationships and creating safer futures for LGBTQI+ young people.
External Links
See Also
- Naz and Matt Foundation
- Matt Mahmood-Ogston
- LGBTQ rights in the United Kingdom
- Coming out
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