Celebrating Pride as an ally and parent: Courtney’s story

I am Courtney Hadden. I lead Sustainability for Hitachi Digital, overseeing our group’s ESG work and commitments. In 2024, my family attended our first Pride parade with my youngest son (age 11). He has been a part of the LGBTQ+ community since he was 9 and he was thankful to join others in celebrating acceptance, freedom and equality. Pride is important to me as a parent because it reflects the deep emotional investment I have in my son’s growth, identity and well-being. It affirms my support for who he is and shows him that he is loved, accepted and safe at home.

My top 5 tips for celebrating at a Pride event for the first time as an ally are:

1) Showing up is important. There are no right or wrong ways to be an ally. 2) If you are attending with someone in the community, let them set the pace and tone for how the day unfolds. 3) If you are comfortable, wear support buttons or other Pride decorations/ clothing to feel more a part of the celebration. 4) If you are attending with a child in the community, see if there is a children’s group or meet-up at the event to connect with other LGBTQ+ kids. 5) Bring tissues. I cried a lot watching my son finally want to celebrate as a part of the community.

Looking ahead, I hope to see meaningful progress in advancing LGBTQ+ inclusion – especially in areas where individuals may still feel vulnerable or unseen. That includes stronger legal protections against discrimination and inclusive education in schools that reflects and respects LGBTQ+ identities.

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