Welsh Steps star Ian ‘H’ Watkins has said he is "overwhelmed and filled to the brim with emotions" after organising and seeing Cowbridge Pride come to life in which he "march[ed] in his town, with his children and the man he loves".
In a post on social media platform Instagram, the 47-year-old from Tonypandy shared a picture of him and his partner Tom Hope during the Cowbridge Pride parade, which took place on Saturday, June 24, wearing matching denim jackets that had ribbons of all colours of the rainbow as well as some sequin strands flowing from the seams and sharing a kiss. In the caption that went alongside the snap, Ian explained how his "passion project" - Cowbridge Pride - became a "crusade" to help children and families feel supported and not "alone, scared and 'different'."
In reference to this, Ian - who has twin boys Macsen and Cybi - detailed some of the heartbreaking things he experienced as a child, being "bullied" for being "different".
The father-of-two wrote: "WE DID IT!! If you had told little 10 year old Ian who was bullied.. who was chased home from school… who was beaten up.. who had his fingers broken because he was ‘girly’… who cried himself to sleep because he knew he was different….. that one day he would be marching in his town, with his children and the man he loves.. I would have laughed at you.. But it happened, and I am overwhelmed and filled to the brim with emotions.
"This is why a passion project turned into a crusade. So that other children and other families won’t have to feel like I did… Alone, scared and ‘different’.
"Arranging @cowbridgepride has taught me a lot. Mainly that [the] LGBTQ+ community and our allies have come a long way… and we’re winning.. and the haters hate it. If only they understood what Pride and having Pride was all about. I’m guessing they were never taught that.
"I asked 7 year old Nerys at the parade ‘So, what is Pride’? She said… ‘It’s about kindness and being whoever you want to be’. And that folks, is exactly it. Simple, right? HAPPY PRIDE EVERYONE."
Pride month runs for the entirety of June (to mark anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall uprising) and celebrates LGBTQ+ communities across the world as people come together to showcase love, friendship, equality and so much more. Cowbridge Pride, fronted by the 'Tragedy singer', with support from the Welsh Government, was an all-inclusive event celebrating the LGBTQ+ community in Cowbridge and The Vale of Glamorgan.
After sharing this inspirational post, H's comments section was flooded with messages of support and love.
Carol Vorderman wrote: "Happy Pride to you and Tom and EVERYONE who was there x"
Denise Van Outen added: "Amazing! You’re the best", alongside Gavin & Stacey star Sheridan Smith who penned: "you’re amazing! That is the most beautiful post."
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