2024 marks 21 years since the law that banned the “promotion of homosexuality”, known as section 28, was repealed in the UK. Enforced by prime minister Margret Thatcher in 1988, the act was inspired by the 1983 children’s book titled ‘Jenny Lives with Eric and Martin’ which aimed to teach children about different types of family relations. Section 28 stopped schools and councils from using such material to “teach the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship”. This law was stopped in Scotland in the year 2000 and the rest of the UK in 2003. For many in the community this was too late, with increased bullying stemming from a lack of education that could’ve easily been dampened by the normalisation of LGBTQ+ lives. However, with a continuing push for awareness and social activism, we remain hopeful for a more tolerant future for the LGBTQ+ community.
To celebrate Pride Month we have created a collection of designs that depict gay icons and iconography.
Adam Regester, one of our talented artists, has a range of LGBTQ+ themed designs, ranging from flags to celebrities. Some of our personal favourites being ‘Love is All We Need Rainbow Heart’, ‘Deliciously Devine’ and ‘Have a Gay Day’.
If it’s gay heroes you’re after we’ve got you covered. Dolly Wolfe’s ‘Freddie Cool’ portrays iconic bisexual musician Freddie Mercury looking particularly dapper in shades. Nichola Cowdery also does a fun Freddie piece, ‘Favourite Queen’.
‘Bow Tie’ by Beverley Rae shows another British icon Sir Elton John. Another adorable Elton illustration comes from artist The Girl Next Draw with ‘Music Stars Green Glass Print’. Sarah Wilkinson has also created an amazing portrait of the star in his youth, ‘Colourful Feathers’.
Other LGBTQ+ personalities can be seen represented in Kirstie Taylor’s ‘Boy George’. ‘Wash Your Hands’ by Bite Your Granny shows a gay character from the series ‘Sex Education’ (if you know, you know). Wallace Elizabeth presents drag queen legend Ru Paul in ‘Don’t be Drag, Just be a Queen’, while Giddy Kipper depicts another 80’s musician with ‘Music Icons: George Michael’
If pretty quotes are more your thing, check out ‘Love is Love’ by Jessica Moorhouse. Of the same title we have ‘Love is Love’ by Luxe and Loco which has a more graphic look than compared to Jessica’s more illustrative style. Artist Giddy Kipper adds some humour to the collection with design ‘Can’t Even Think Straight’
Did you know the first Gay Pride Rally in the UK was held in London on July 1st 1972? This date was chosen as it was the closest Saturday to the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Riots that occurred in New York when police harassed attendees of the Stonewall Inn, a bar that catered to LGBTQ+ members of society. It wasn’t just those in the US facing violence and police hostility though. Here in the UK many in the community where often attacked and confronted not just by police but groups such as the National Front. Although we have made much progress since the 1970s, it was recorded that homophobic and transphobic hate crimes soared during the pandemic, hitting a 3 year high in the summer of 2020, just showing how we still have a long way to go.
At ART WOW we are an inclusive company who aims to spread positivity and joy with our beautiful products designed by our talented independent artists. All our products are hand printed in the UK by our all-female team and can be shipped worldwide.
We wish you all a happy Pride Month!
