Celebrating Pride Month 2023

As Pride month 2023 comes to a close, we want to take time to honour and commemorate lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, questioning, asexual, non-binary and pansexual people. Pride began after the Stonewall riots with a series of gay liberation protests in 1969 and it’s now become a worldwide movement. Events and marches take place across the globe which celebrate the LGBTIQA+ rights movement and drive more changes.

D2 are proud to celebrate Pride month, we have decorated our head office with Pride flag bunting and donned our screens as part of the celebration. As a business and an ally for the LGBTIQA+ community, we want to support and continue to build an environment where people feel safe, secure, and celebrated for being their authentic self.

Today we would like to celebrate some of the LGBTIQA+ people that have changed the world through their courage and strength, paving the way for others to live their authentic lives and be celebrated for who they are.

alan turing image
Alan Turing Alan Turing was not a well-known figure during his lifetime, but today he is famous and celebrated for the crucial part he played in the victory over Nazi Germany in WW2. Alan was a mathematician who cracked something called the Enigma code, which is thought to have shortened the war by several years. Alan was prosecuted in 1952 for homosexual acts. He was faced with an impossibly cruel choice of imprisonment, or probation on the condition he underwent chemical castration. Alan died from suicide two years later. Thanks to the efforts of activists, historians and politicians, Turing’s legacy has not been forgotten. In 2013, HM Queen Elizabeth II signed a pardon for Turing’s conviction with immediate effect. Since then, the Alan Turing Law has gone on to secure pardons for 75,000 other men and women convicted of similar crimes.
edith windsor image
Edith Windsor
Edie – was a leading woman in the fight for LGBTQ rights in America. Her case against the American justice system was the first time same-sex marriage was recognised as legal in America. Edie married her wife Thea Syper in Canada in 2007, Thea died in 2009.
phyll opoku-gyimah image
Phyll Opoku-Gyimah
Better known as Lady Phyll, is a British LGBTIQA+ rights activist and anti-racism campaigner. She is the co-founder of UK Black Pride, which began in 2005 as a day trip to Southend-on-Sea in England. It now attracts nearly 8,000 people every year.
chris smith image
Chris Smith
In 1984 Chris Smith became the UK’s first male openly gay MP and later, the first gay cabinet minister. After announcing that he was gay, he received a five-minute standing ovation. His actions and the positive reaction he received has undoubtedly helped pave the way for many other MPs to be open about their sexuality as well. There have since been lots of other gay cabinet members.

The last 50 years have seen such growth, acceptance, and love, all thanks to the leaders that fight for the LGBTIQA+ rights, their community and their allies that support and educate people around the world.

50 years of legislation

1967

Sex between two men over 21 and “in private” is decriminalised

1980

Decriminalisation in Scotland

1982

Decriminalisation in Northern Ireland

1994

The age of consent for two male partners is lowered to 18

2000

The ban on gay and bisexual people serving in the armed forces is lifted;
the age of consent is equalised for same- and opposite-sex partners at 16

2002

Same-sex couples are given equal rights when it comes to adoption

2003

Gross indecency is removed as an offence

2004

A law allowing civil partnerships is passed

2007

Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is banned

2010

Gender reassignment is added as a protected characteristic in equality
legislation

2014

Gay marriage becomes legal in England, Wales, and Scotland

NEWS

D2 shortlisted for Project Controls Expo Small Business of the Year Awards

Why is this award important to us? D2 is a growing and independent SME. Formed in 2011 with 3 construction planners supporting a single rail project, we now provide the full suite of Project Controls services to several of the …

Read more

D2 earns accreditation as a certified Living Wage Employer

At D2, we believe that fair pay is fundamental to a thriving and sustainable workplace. That’s why we’re proud to be an accredited Real Living Wage employer, ensuring that every member of our team receives a wage that truly reflects…

Read more

How do we deliver an ambitious programme of rail electrification?

Learning from the past Significant investments in electrification have been made over the last decade, with varied success which was a topic of discussion at a Western Gateway Rail Electrification Workshop, held in partnership with RIA W&W in May 2024….

Read more

Bridging Continents: A Week in Toronto with Our Team and Clients

As the Chief Operating Officer, my recent trip from the UK to Toronto was a whirlwind of meetings, events, and invaluable networking opportunities. The vibrant energy of Toronto, lively sporting scene and the chance to meet both old and new…

Read more