Ginger and Tails is now part of the Safe Space Alliance, a global, LGBTQI+ led organisation that helps people identify spaces that genuinely welcome and support LGBTQI+ communities. Part of that is a directory, so people can quickly see which businesses are safe, inclusive spaces without having to work it out for themselves.

One of the things that stood out to me about the message the Safe Space Alliance is spreading, is how often people are left guessing. Guessing how they’ll be received, whether a space is actually accepting, or just neutral, whether they can relax or whether they need to hold something back. That’s not something everyone has to think about, but for a lot of people, it is.

There’s also a difference between having rights and feeling safe. You can have laws in place that say one thing, and still not feel comfortable being yourself in certain spaces. Acceptance isn’t guaranteed just because protection exists on paper.

So a ‘safe space’ isn’t about claiming nothing bad could ever happen, it’s about creating an environment where people can be themselves without fear, and where things like bullying, hate, or discrimination aren’t tolerated. And if something did happen, it wouldn’t be ignored.

Ginger and Tails has always been built on kindness, respect, and making people feel comfortable, and being part of the Safe Space Alliance now just makes that clear.

If this is something that matters to you, you don’t have to wonder where I stand. And if it’s not something you’ve ever had to think about, that’s fine too. But it doesn’t make it any less important for the people who do.