Why Pride is so special to our founders, Michael and Wes
Written by Michael Johnson-Ellis
Every May Bank Holiday Birmingham Pride kicks off Pride season in the UK. A weekend that holds a very special place in the hearts of our founders Michael and Wes.
This year the theme of Birmingham Pride was ‘Love has no limits’, which we couldn’t advocate for any harder if we tried, as you’ll see in our posts and pictures.
Twelve years ago, at a very busy 2012 Birmingham Pride, a newly single Michael made his way out into Birmingham with his friends. After moving to the city in February, and being single for 5 months, he was set on having a great time. Being single in the Summer of 2012 and celebrating Pride was a new experience and one he’d never forget. Literally.
Wes at the time was working for London 2012 as a Project Manager for the Olympic Stadium and was in the city for Pride, just by chance – although he did have an apartment that he came back to when he wasn’t working. The first bar Michael and his friends went into Wes was stood at the bar with his friends.
Michael says he noticed Wes’ blue eyes and his cheeky Yorkshire charm, as he danced and tried not to spill his Vodka Cranberry. Michael’s instinct telling him this feels right, and then to make sure Wes get’s his number! Thankfully for many, he did. 6 months later they were engaged, and later married in 2014, welcoming their first child, Talulah in 2016 and Duke in 2019 with a third journey planned for the summer 2024.
This is what’s special, Birmingham Pride helped create this, not only Michael and Wes as a couple, but it enabled their family to be built – as a result launching TwoDadsUK in 2017, The Modern Family Show in 2019 and more recently, My Surrogacy Journey in 2020. Pride has a lot to answer for, which is why the team took part in this year’s protest.
Michael and Wes’ children are no stranger to Pride, they have marched in San Francisco Pride in 2022 and have also attended numerous Birmingham Pride marches too and love the atmosphere and the feeling of a community.
Pride always begins in Birmingham with a ‘Pride Brunch’ meet up first, it’s Wes’ tradition. Making sure everyone is suitably topped up with bubbles, and if you weren’t you will be! Then it’s on to watch the parade and offer our voices, our cheers and our support for those who need our love and support.
This year we extend a huge thank you to the organisers of Birmingham Pride especially to Char Bailey and her team that made the team feel welcome and loved. The team enjoyed music from Natalie Beddingfield, Heather Small, Beth Mc Carthy, Danny Beard and Tia Kofi to name a few. A great weekend and one where the weather was kind to us too, just like it was back in 2012. Smiles all round.
