Don't Just Buy a Rainbow Tee
It's hard to talk about Pride month in a meaningful way as a brand when larger brands have just slapped rainbows on everything and called it a day. Here at LIHA we have been vibing with the community since one of our first ever workshops at Port Eliot with an alternative drag group waayyyy back in 2014. The body cream creations were out of this world but the names took the biscuit!! One was labelled FUCKING FABULOUS and all over instagram 3 years before the Tom Ford fragrance dropped *just saying* (wouldn't be pride without some subtle shade now would it)
Here are our recommends for ways to support, and a reminder that while we are free to vibe and be as fabulous as we like (by and large) in the UK, there are still plenty of places in the world where Pride month isn't an option and being yourself is literally a crime that can get you killed. Please think about donating to charities/ emerging pride movements in those places instead of buying a rainbow tee 😊
WATCHING: Paris is Burning.
Ok we get it you've watched it a million times and may think its overused as a cultural reference point. But I would encourage you to try and get your Uncle or Grandpa who needs a little nudge in the right direction on these matters or shares Dave Chappelle's views that Trans culture is inherently a newer or non diverse issue. Watching this will help them to realise that the Voguing movement in the late 80s New York was and is a part of our diasporic legacy of shaping wider popular culture. Of course most of them died penniless and without statues but thats par for the course right? Each one teach one.
LISTENING: Type Dangerous by Mariah.
The lambs are losing it. Because she did her thing. As usual. One thing I love about Mariah is she has always been 100% herself with 0 fucks given. Public opinion will sway one way and another but you need stay rooted in your truth- be the diva you are, list your demands, put in your boundaries, only move your shoulders when dancing and not have 'time for the Rigamarole'. What she said. Absolute banger. In the words of the iconic MC Deborah "They always gotta talk behind your back, your small back"
READING: Strange Beach by Oluwaseun Olayiwola.
A debut poetry collection wrangling the various selves we hold and perform-across oceans and within relationships-told through a queer, Nigerian-American lensAt times surreal, at times philosophical, the poems of Strange Beach demarcate a fiercely interior voice inside of queer Black masculinity.
EATING: Twerk n Jerk- 6 George St, Wood Wharf, London E14 9QG
Support your local black owned LGBTQIA businesses! And also literally the best Jerk I have tried this year and believe me Ive tried a lot.
USING: Idan oil Whether it's a massage, locking in moisture post-shower, or layering with your favorite fragrance, Idan Oil brings glow, sensuality, and softness into every ritual.
And when paired with our Osé Gidi Soap-made with African black soap and nourishing oils-you've got the ultimate morning ritual for luminous, hydrated skin.
From now until June 30, we're offering 10% off our Morning Essentials Set, featuring both of these staples. Because sometimes Pride means turning inward, caring for yourself with intention, and building rituals that remind you who you are.
