Jonathan Bailey and Jessie Ware urge parents to be LGBTQ+ allies

Gay actor Jonathan Bailey and pop star Jessie Ware are urging parents to be LGBTQ+ allies, as part of a charity drive aimed at combatting the rise in anti-queer rhetoric.

“Save A Kiss” singer Ware has joined Fellow Travelers star Bailey – voted one of People’s sexiest men alive in 2024 – along with other celebrities, including DJ Annie Mac and rower Lauren Rowles, to help the campaign launched by Just Like.

The charity’s new LGBT+ Guide for Parents is set to be published on Monday (24 February), in response to a resurgence in anti-LGBTQ+ language being heard by primary-school-aged children.

The guide, which promotes having open conversations about LGBTQ+ topics with children, includes everything families should know if their child comes out, and features the voices of the young people themselves. 

Bailey, who is one of the charity’s patrons, said: “As parents, you want the best for your children. You want them to feel safe, be confident and [to] thrive. Any home can welcome in a member of the LGBTQ+ community. 

“There should be no shame in parents not understanding or knowing how best to support their LGBTQ+ children… only shame in parents who don’t endeavour to protect, nurture and celebrate their LGBTQ+ children. 

“Just Like Us is doing the incredible work of offering our parents’ generation an education that wasn’t available to them when they were young.”

Bailey previously raised thousands of pounds for Just Like Us, by running the Hackney half marathon. The actor, who knew he was gay at the age of 11, said he was “honoured” to be able to raise money for the LGBTQ+ community. 

‘Being an ally starts at home’

And Ware had this message: “Being an ally starts at home. I want my kids to grow up in a world where they feel safe, loved, accepted for exactly who they are, knowing that love is love, and that standing up for others matters.” 

Meanwhile, Laura Mackay, the chief executive of Just Like Us, said: “No young person should have to fear that they will be rejected by their family for being who they are. Yet, sadly, we know this is the reality for many LGBT+ young people.

“A lack of family acceptance can have a range of negative effects on LGBT+ young people, from a lack of family closeness and lower self-esteem, to estrangement and even homelessness.” 

The guide, supported by The George Michael Fund, which is managed by The Talent Fund, “aims to help all parents, whether or not their children are LGBT+, to create an environment where difference is celebrated and inclusion is prioritised”, Mackay added. 

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.