PRINCE WILLIAM HAS made history by becoming the first member of the royal family to appear on the cover of a gay magazine.
An interview with the Duke of Cambridge is featured in the latest edition of Attitude.
Last month members of the LGBT+ community visited Kensington Palace to tell him about mental health and their experiences of homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying.
Attitude editor Matthew Todd facilitated the discussion. After the meeting Leigh Keily photographed Prince William for the cover.
The Prince then made the following statement: “No one should be bullied for their sexuality or any other reason and no one should have to put up with the kind of hate that these young people have endured in their lives.
The young gay, lesbian and transgender individuals I met through Attitude are truly brave to speak out and to give hope to people who are going through terrible bullying right now. Their sense of strength and optimism should give us all encouragement to stand up to bullying wherever we see it.
What I would say to any young person reading this who’s being bullied for their sexuality: don’t put up with it – speak to a trusted adult, a friend, a teacher, Childline, Diana Award or some other service and get the help you need. You should be proud of the person you are and you have nothing to be ashamed of.”
Todd said that during his time as editor of Attitude he has “met parents whose child has taken or lost their life after being bullied for being LGBT+ or just perceived to be LGBT”.
I am very happy that the future King of the United Kingdom agrees this must stop and I would urge parents in particular to raise their voices in their communities to ensure that every school protects – really protects – all children.
The magazine went to press on Wednesday 8 June, just days before the mass shooting at a gay club in Orlando in which 49 people were killed and over 50 more injured.
Attitude described this incident as “devastating” and said: “Around the world, LGBT+ people experience hatred and violence every day. Such violence does not exist in a vacuum but snowballs from intolerance and bullying that begins in classrooms, too often comes from politicians or religious leaders and is often not treated with respect by the media.”
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