Gok Wan’s #GlobalPrideMakeover Features a Shocking, Powerful Twist

Karmarama have created a piece of content for LGBTQ movement All Out in partnership with Gay Times, calling for people to consider the purpose of Pride and continuing fight for LGBTQ rights around the globe.

In the exclusive film, created especially for this year’s Pride in London week, Gok dresses a group of people looking for their perfect pride outfit that they can wear anywhere in the world. However, in an unexpected twist, each must-have item represents the persecution faced by members of the LGBTQ+ community globally.

Items include a distressed leather jacket which would have been an essential protective layer at Pride in Istanbul last week when police fired rubber bullets into the crowd or a hat to cover the hair of the trans people in Indonesia who, earlier this year, were rounded up by police and had their hair forcibly cut.

Gay Times and All Out are encouraging the public to share the film and add their voice to the fight for global love and equality by pledging their name at AllOut.org.

Matt Beard, Executive Director at All Out said “Every single day, people face violence, jail time, death threats, or worse, just because of who they are or who they love. As a global movement for love and equality, our aim is to mobilise thousands of people around the world to stand up for LGBTQ+ rights.

Through our partnership with Gay Times we continue to fight for a world where no one has to sacrifice their family, freedom, safety, or dignity because of who they are or who they love.”

William Connolly, Editor of Gay Times followed, “All Out is a global initiative devoted to the liberation of queer people no matter where in the world they live. As we approach Pride in London, we at Gay Times have been reflecting upon how fortunate we are to be in a city that not only sees us equal in the eyes of the law, but also provides a safe space and platform for the varying identities within our community to celebrate openly and freely. Sadly, this is far from true elsewhere in the world.”

“We’re proud to partner with Gok Wan and All Out to deliver this campaign, which will hopefully raise awareness of the hardships that many LGBTQ+ people endure. We should feel uncomfortable upon hearing about these things, and must not allow our celebration to lead into complacency”

Nik Studzinski, Chief Creative Officer at Karmarama said “In the midst of the festival that Pride has become we sometimes forget that there are parts of the World where the LGBTQ community are still isolated, victimised and persecuted. Working with Gay Times and All Out, our campaign aims to draw attention to the fact that while there is still much to celebrate, there is also much to keep fighting for.”

The work launches on Friday 6th July and runs across the Pride in London weekend. The content will be hosted online, on ITV’s This Morning, as well as being shown on outdoor screens during the Pride in London March on Saturday 7th July.