Pride Series Part 2: Sensory Pride — Navigating LGBTQ+ Spaces When You’re Neurodivergent
- NeuroEmpowered Leicester CIC
- Jun 11
- 3 min read
Pride is powerful. Pride is liberating. Pride is loud.
And for many neurodivergent people, Pride is also… too much.
The music, the crowds, the colours, the unpredictability — it’s meant to be a celebration. But for some of us, it’s an overwhelming storm of noise, heat, and pressure that our brains and bodies can’t always handle.
If you’ve ever wanted to join in but couldn’t, you’re not alone. And you’re not less valid.
🧠 Pride Isn’t Always Sensory-Friendly
For neurodivergent people, and individuals who have mental or physical health conditions, mainstream Pride events can feel more like a challenge than a celebration.
🚨 Flashing lights
🔊 Deafening speakers
🤝 Social touch you didn’t ask for
🫣 Crowds with no clear way in or out
🔥 Heat and overstimulation with no escape
Instead of feeling liberated, we’re left dysregulated, anxious, exhausted — or excluded.
“I cried after my first Pride event. Not because I was emotional. Because I was overwhelmed, in pain, and no one noticed.”
📚 What the Research Tells Us
Around 70–90% of autistic people experience significant sensory sensitivities — with sound, light, touch, and texture being the most common triggers.
A study by Botha et al. (2022) found that autistic LGBTQ+ people are at higher risk of social exclusion, anxiety, and camouflaging in community spaces — even in LGBTQ+ groups that aim to be inclusive.
Many neurodivergent people report post-event crashes, burnout, or shutdowns following highly stimulating social events, including Pride.
So it’s no surprise that many of us love what Pride represents — but struggle to access it in the ways it’s typically celebrated.
🌈 You Don’t Need to “Perform” Pride
You don’t have to wear glitter or dance in the street to prove you’re part of the LGBTQ+ community. You don’t have to love noise, crowds, or chaos to be valid. You don’t have to make yourself smaller, braver, or louder just to join in.
Your identity is real, even if your celebration looks different. Your experience is worthy, even if you celebrate from your bed.
💡 How to Celebrate Pride in Neurodivergent-Affirming Ways
🌿 1. Create a Quiet Pride Ritual
Light a candle in your flag’s colours
Wear something that feels right to you
Reflect, journal, draw, or stim in your own safe space
Celebrate your survival, your joy, your truth
🧷 2. Plan for Accessibility
If you do attend an event:
Wear noise-cancelling headphones
Bring comfort items or stim tools
Use a visual schedule or plan your exit route in advance
Ask a trusted person to support you (or help advocate if needed)
Some places also offer quiet zones, low-sensory hours, or accessibility maps — though they’re still too rare. Ask for them. Push for change. You’re allowed to take up space.
🖥️ 3. Celebrate Digitally
Join an online Pride livestream
Follow LGBTQ+ neurodivergent creators
Post your flag selfies from home
Engage in social media campaigns or discussion forums
Host a mini celebration with your safe people — even if it’s just one person
💛 You Are Still Part of the Community
Even if:
You leave early
You say no to plans
You stim in the middle of it
You celebrate by reading a book under a blanket
You love Pride in theory, but can’t attend in person
You don’t feel “queer enough” or “ND enough” or “brave enough”
You are part of this. This is your Pride too.
✨ Free Resources for Sensory-Friendly Pride
These free guides were created by people like you, for people like you — because your comfort, health, and joy matter just as much as visibility and advocacy.
📣 Pride Is a Protest — and a Place to Rest
You can be radical in rest. You can be revolutionary by saying no. You can be proud without the parade.
And when Pride finally includes everyone, we all win.
🧡 With care - The NeuroEmpowered Team
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