Everyone Welcome – The Initiative Taking a Stance Against Intolerance

This Monday, as part of Manchester Beer Week, beer writer Melissa Cole launched the Everyone Welcome Initiative. The initiative aims to take a stance against intolerance in beer venues and events – no matter the form in which it appears, and intends to make sure that “everyone who walks through the door is welcome regardless, of their gender, sexual orientation, race, health, religion, age or disability.”

By providing venues and events with a logo to be displayed, as well as the guidelines given on the website, the Everyone Welcome team hope to make venues and events safer for those more at risk of discrimination, as well as seeing a decrease in intolerant behaviour. Visibility is key – not just in terms of diverse representation of minority groups within beer – by signalling zero tolerance towards discrimination, the aim is to make the venue or event as welcoming as possible, no matter who you are.

We’re proud to be involved with this initiative – our Head of Content Lily helped to put it together and spoke at the launch – and it will be displayed at our festivals. Inclusivity is one of We Are Beer’s core principles; we want to invite you to the party regardless of your gender, sexuality, race, health, religion, age, disability, or even how much you know about beer. If you want to celebrate modern beer with us, we’ll have you.

As we’ve said before, the world of beer can only go so far with so many voices – we need as wide a range of voices and experiences as possible in order for the industry we love to thrive as we want it to. We’re sticking our flag in the ground and saying that at our festivals, everyone is welcome.