The importance of allyship for the LGBTQIA+ community
Pride events aren’t just a great way to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community, while simultaneously remembering both the progress made and the challenges ahead, but also wonderful opportunities to unite. This is when allies to the community can step forward and express their support.
Such allies can come from across society and help demonstrate the power of inclusivity. This is one of the values of non-profit group Pride In London, which holds up visibility, equality and unity as priorities – the latter is why garnering support from so many allies is important.
Why allies matter
For instance, Pride In London runs a Pride in the City initiative, which is a strategy dedicated towards fostering greater allyship between the LGBTQIA+ community and the business world. This goes beyond symbolic gestures and is instead about securing lasting commitments from a range of business and major employers from across several sectors – with members including WeWork, Cisco, Lidl, Just Eat and Deutsche.
This kind of allyship goes beyond symbolism and shows of unity, with the ability to deliver real-world change also palpable. London in Pride has launched its Unity Fund which allows allies to make donations that provide valuable support to a range of LGBTQIA+ aligned charitable causes.
Standing side by side, with pride
In this way, corporate sponsorships can make a real difference for the LGBTQIA+ community. Unlike other sponsorship packages, these deals are less about brand recognition or other corporate goals – instead this can be an important step forward in terms of allyship.
Such allies can arise from where they are least expected. In 2025, Pridepay – the LGBTQIA+ first app from payment processing firm Cardaq – will become the headline sponsor for Pride in London. Payments processing, and financial services in general, is not known for its LGBTQIA+ alignment which is why such a sponsorship is important.
Crucially, this sponsorship extends beyond branding and towards something more symbiotic. Pridepay will provide several engaging initiatives throughout the celebrations, such as pop-up lounges, branded installations, and immersive experiences, while also hosting contactless “Tap for Change” donation stations will be installed, allowing attendees to contribute directly to LGBTQIA+ causes through contactless payments. A QR Code Treasure Hunt will encourage engagement by leading participants through various Pridepay touchpoints, rewarding exploration and education. Additionally, a Co-Branded Pledge Wall will invite attendees to share personal affirmations and commitments to identity, growth, and support.
Pridepay’s Vision for Its Community
Looking ahead, Pridepay is committed to building far more than just a financial platform—it aims to create a vibrant, inclusive digital community. Beyond payments, this innovative startup plans to introduce the Pride ID and the upcoming “Pride for Pridepay” social app, giving users access to a unique ecosystem where identity, connection, and contribution are at the core.
Members will be able to engage in forums, write personal blogs, explore others’ profiles, and participate in exclusive events. The platform also plans to support charitable giving in an interactive and rewarding way, including donor rankings and special recognition within user profiles.
Additionally, users will benefit from community-driven features that encourage self-expression and peer connection, fostering a safe and welcoming space for all. In parallel, Pridepay will establish strong partnerships with LGBTQIA+ friendly merchants, allowing users to enjoy location-based rewards and discounts simply by using their Pride ID.
Altogether, these features reflect Pridepay’s mission to empower its community not only financially, but also socially and culturally.
Drowning out the hate
Despite the progress made in recent years, the LGBTQIA+ community still faces discrimination, harassment and outright violence at regular turns. This is why the work of organisations such as Pride In London, and countless other advocacy groups, remains so important – to lobby and fight for the rights of this community.
Such groups will struggle to do this alone, which is why a united front is so powerful. Allies not only provide much-needed donations and resources to keep such groups going, but their public shows of support and allyship can help amplify the message.
The proof is clear in the size of Pride events each year in cities around the world. These parades, shows and other celebratory events continue to swell as more allies show up, putting their names and funds to good use. Such allyship helps LGBTQIA+ progress as a community and adds momentum to the direction of travel for the benefit of all.