Pride

Watch heartwarming moment gay son takes parents to Pride for the first time

Jul 19 2018
Written by In partnership with Lloyds Bank

Anthony marched with his parents for the first time (PinkNews)

This is the moment a gay man took his parents to Pride in London for the very first time.

Anthony Francis, who helps to run the Rainbow Network at Lloyds Bank, never imagined he would one day attend Pride with his parents.

“[I feel] a bit weird, a bit apprehensive I think,” he said, ahead of his mum, Angela, and dad, Roger, travelling down from Birmingham for Pride.

But Anthony’s mum said she could not be more proud of her son and was thrilled to be marching with him and his colleagues from the bank.

“I feel proud to be marching with him, very proud,” she said.

“He’s my boy, he’s my child so we’re going to stand by him and be with him and love him, as we do.”

Echoing Angela’s sentiment, Roger said: “He’s my son at the end of the day.

“Nothing is going to change that. So, side by side we go.”

Dad Roger puts a trans Pride flag on Anthony (PinkNews)

Anthony’s boyfriend, Kris, who also joined the celebrations in central London, said: “We’re not equal everywhere in the world and there are a lot of people who can’t experience the same equality that we do.”

Pride in London (PinkNews)

Pride in London is the UK’s biggest annual Pride march, attended by over 500 groups in the parade alone and over a million supporters as it makes its way through the streets of London.

Watch heartwarming moment gay son takes parents to Pride for the first time

Fellow Lloyds Bank colleagues Charlie Clark and Daniel Roach added their delight at being able to march with Anthony as he introduced his parents to Pride for the very first time.

“I love the fact that I can come along and support my friends and that our work encourages you to be your true self and not have to hide anything away,” explained Charlie, who, as well as working as a digital marketing manager at Lloyds Bank, runs a trans-inclusive make-up company.