LONDON - A men's community group established to combat loneliness will participate in this year's Pride in London parade, a move intended to show solidarity with its gay, bisexual, and trans members. The group, Shoulder to Shoulder (S2S), is composed predominantly of straight, cisgender men, making their inclusion in the parade a notable example of allyship.
Founded by Tom Stroud and Dan Shrigley, S2S began as a response to a simple question: "Why is it so hard for men to make friends as adults?" The initiative, which started with organised walks, has since grown into a community of around 2,000 men in London, hosting dozens of events each month to foster connection and friendship.
A Counterpoint to Toxic Masculinity
The group's ethos stands in direct contrast to the so-called "manosphere," an online space often associated with figures like Andrew Tate that promotes misogynistic and homophobic ideologies. Co-founder Tom Stroud explained that S2S aims to provide a healthier solution for men feeling isolated.
"What figures like Andrew Tate understand... is that men are lonely, they feel purposeless, and nobody is talking to them directly about it," Stroud told PinkNews. He noted that while the problem is real, the "manosphere's" solution is "catastrophically wrong."
Instead of promoting dominance and division, S2S focuses on creating an environment for "real friendship" and "real belonging." Stroud added, "Men don’t radicalise into the ‘manosphere’ because they’re bad people. They radicalise because they’re isolated and someone offered them a solution. We’re offering a better one."
Inclusion at its Core
The decision to march in Pride is a public declaration of the group's inclusive principles. With over 100 members who identify as gay, bisexual, or trans, S2S leadership says it's essential to support all men, particularly those whose experiences differ from the majority.
"So many of the struggles we talk about in the group – loneliness, shame, emotional suppression – are amplified for men who’ve grown up feeling like they don’t fit the traditional mould of masculinity," Stroud said. The group recently welcomed its first openly trans member, Orlando, who has reportedly been embraced by the community.
One gay member, Jonathan, shared his positive experience: "It’s given me a good chance to be around other men and has made me feel less alone... I’ve also been pleasantly surprised by how supportive some of the straight men have been – it’s nice to feel that allies are not a myth."
For a more detailed account and further interviews with the group's founders and members, you can read the original story published by The Pink News.
