These historic adverts made specially for Pride will make you cry
A series of Pride adverts will make history as they break your heart.
The adverts, to be shown over the next few weeks, each feature an interview with a loved one apologising for the way they treated an LGBT person.
Viewers are shown a mum who turned away her lesbian daughter, a dad who caused his gay son to leave their home, and two people who abandoned their trans and bisexual friends, respectively.
These 30-second clips, along with a minute-long video including all the testimonies, will be screened on Channel 4 in the UK from June 24 to July 9.
They are the first adverts made by Pride in London to be shown to a national audience – and with the tagline “Don’t leave it unsaid,” you will weep.
In the “Gay Apology” ad, the interview subject tells his son: “Mark, it came as quite a shock when you told me that you were gay.
“I said some hateful things.
“And then you left. And that was the worst day of my life. I lost my beautiful boy.
“I’m sorry. I’m proud of you for being you.
He ends the video by saying: “I love you, son.”
In the lesbian-centric clip, a mother tells her daughter: “I thought you were denying me my chance of being a grandma.
“I was angry at you.”
With tears running down her face, she adds: “I’m sorry I pushed you away when you needed your mum most.
“I’ll never stop loving you.”
The bisexual advert features a woman saying: “I thought you were just attention-seeking.”
Then she regretfully recalls “my little jokes, constantly belittling your sexuality.”
In the emotive “Trans Apology” advert, a man tells his ex-friend: “You embarrassed me.
“And I wasn’t gonna get beaten up just because you decided to be a girl. So I joined in.
“I betrayed you.”
Iain Walters, deputy director of marketing for Pride in London, said: “Partnering with Channel 4 for this LGBT+ season is an incredible opportunity to showcase the diversity of our community.
“We have come a long way in 50 years, yet we face daily reminders that the global battle for true equality is far from over, and rights hard won can be threatened, attacked and taken away.
“Standing together with Channel 4, we will send a powerful and positive symbol of acceptance, support and friendship.”
Watch the Apology video here:
