SUMMER 2016
YOUR GUIDE TO PRIDE EVENTS AROUND THE UK
VICKY BEECHING ...ON BEING GAY AND CHRISTIAN
INSIDE NON-BINARY IDENTITIES TOP TIPS FOR SURVIVING PRIDE ACTION BREAKS SILENCE #WESTANDWITHYOUORLANDO
OUTNEWS GLOBAL PRIDE POWER LIST
FRONT
CONTENTS THE TEAM EDITORIAL EDITOR Boom Macleod
DESIGN Ryan Beal
CONTRIBUTORS Eilidh Macleod, Fiona Marshall, Kat Stevens, Pixie Gabrielle,
ADVERTISING ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Linda Riley
PUBLISHERS Linda Riley Global Diversity Company. Huntsworth Mews London NW1 6DB www.globaldiversitycompany.com © Global Diversity Company 2016. We take no responsibility for any loss/claim resulting from a transaction with one of our advertisers/media partners. Content of this publication, either in whole or in part may not be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic or otherwise, without prior permission from the publishers. Opinions expressed in National Pride Guide are not necessarily those of the publishers, and do not necessarily represent the views of LGBT+ Community Pride.
05 OUTNEWS GLOBAL
68 ACTION BREAKS SILENCE
Your finger on the gay pulse
The charity breaking the cycle of
06 VICKY BEECHING
violence
…on having faith
72 DIVERSITY IN MEDIA
14 PRIDE POWER LIST
AWARDS
This year’s winners
Why media matters
37 PRIDE GUIDE
75 IN RESPONSE TO ORLANDO
Your guide to pride events
Uniting against the shootings
around the country
78 BRITISH LGBT AWARDS
49 PRIDE TIPS
A recap of the biggest gay
Our top tips for surviving pride
awards show
52 PRIDE ESSENTIALS
80 SHERRY MCBAIN
Suit up and boot up in your
Out and proud in Her Majesty’s
Sunday best
Forces
57 EQUALITY & DIVERSITY DAY
82 OUT AT WORK
Do we need a national holiday?
Nominate now for 2017!
58 X, Y AND ZE What is non-binary identity?
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62 SURAN DICKSON Diversity Role Models Founder talks gay parenting 66 OUT WITH THE FAMILY Fun for LGBT parents and their kids
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FRONT
OUTNEWS GLOBAL OutNews Global’s editorial focus is on breaking news in national and international politics, religion, business, community, entertainment and lifestyle. Published daily we are dedicated to building support for equality and diversity through media representation by promoting understanding and increasing acceptance. We tackle tough issues, working hard to change attitudes, and change society for the better through fair reporting practice. OutNews Global frequently acquires exclusive interviews within the LGBT+ market. Our team of internationally based celebrity and guest writers and professional reporters bring you exclusive content, keeping your finger on the gay pulse. In our pledge to create a ladder of opportunity for aspiring journalists and bloggers we have set out to give diverse, creative and passionate individuals a
platform to share their ideas and views. We have tried to establish a supportive environment in which people from every background can gain experience with us. We aim to inform, entertain and connect people in informative and refreshing ways. Together we all work to achieve our vision of presenting our readers with the best information relevant to our community, ny remaining neutral without bias. OutNews Global was founded by Linda Riley - Labour’s Business Diversity Ambassador, Managing Director of the Global Diversity Company, Patron of the Albert Kennedy Trust and a Board Director for GLAAD, one of only two British citizens to receive the accolade. For more information, please visit outnewsglobal.com or connect with OutNews Global on Facebook and Twitter.
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INTERVIEW
ROCKING RELIGION THEOLOGIAN AND BROADCASTER VICKY BEECHING GREW UP IN A CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIAN FAMILY IN KENT, BEFORE BECOMING A MAJOR STAR ON THE AMERICAN CHRISTIAN ROCK SCENE. NOW ONE OF THE MOST SOUGHT-AFTER RELIGIOUS COMMENTATORS IN BRITAIN, SHE TELLS ALANNA HIGGINSON, “I BELIEVE WE WILL SEE CHANGE COME IN OUR LIFETIME.” WHEN YOU LOOK TO THE FUTURE, WHAT CHANGES DO YOU HOPE TO SEE WITHIN THE CHURCH? I dream of the day when full LGBT equality comes to the church, both in the UK and beyond. I hope that will involve a public apology to all the LGBT people who’ve been hurt and damaged. Many of us have suffered in both our mental health and physical health as a result of the shame and rejection we’ve felt from other Christians. I also hope that same-sex marriage will be possible someday in the Church of England; currently it’s not. People like me, who worship in their buildings weekly, could never celebrate a wedding there. That has to change. MOST OF US REACH AT LEAST ONE PIVOTAL MOMENT IN OUR LIVES THAT BETTER DEFINES WHO WE ARE. WHEN DID YOU REACH YOUR DEFINING MOMENT AROUND FAITH AND SEXUALITY? My moment of decision happened at the age of 30 when I became extremely ill. I developed an auto-immune condition which doctors believe was caused by the stress of living in the closet. It required 6
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chemotherapy to treat it. Lying on a hospital bed, I decided I had to accept my orientation and needed to come out, as being in the closet had nearly killed me. Also, I decided that I would remain a Christian - that the two could go hand in hand. I came out publicly a few years later, in 2014, in an interview with The Independent. WERE YOU ALWAYS AWARE OF YOUR ATTRACTION TO WOMEN? Yes, since the age of about 12. I remember all my female friends at secondary school talking excitedly about the boys they were interested in, but I never felt able to join in. I knew I couldn’t tell anyone, as my entire circle of friends and family were all traditional Christians. My music career began while I was very young and was entirely based within churches here and in the States, so from my late teens, I was tied to a career that would collapse if my orientation became known. HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED ABANDONING YOUR FAITH? As you can imagine, coming from my background, it’s always felt like a tug-ofwar between my belief in God and my
INTERVIEW
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INTERVIEW orientation. Both feel like such a core part of me. One of them had to win, though and I didn’t think I could live without God my ‘Higher Power’ - so in my late teens, I chose that I’d just ‘shelve’ my sexuality so I could remain part of my faith community. I never seriously considered walking away from God as He/She has been my biggest source of strength through my darkest moments. But I have found church difficult at times, because as an institution it’s been responsible for so much hurt and damage to the LGBT community. Thankfully there is also a grassroots movement of pro-LGBT Christians that’s gathering momentum and there are a growing number of churches that are fully inclusive, so those give me hope and I’m very commited to being part of that movement. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE WITH OTHER CHRISTIANS AND WHO MAY BE STRUGGLING TO RESOLVE THEIR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS WITH THEIR SEXUALITY? I would say that you absolutely can be LGBT and Christian. There is no legitimate basis in the Bible to say you can not. And I would say that God loves you for exactly who you are and designed you perfectly. I hear from literally hundreds of people who contact me to say they are struggling with being in a faith
community and knowing they are LGB or T. My advice is always to find a safe group of people locally and plug into that community. We can’t make it on our own - we need each other. HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO USE YOUR PLATFORM TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE? My vision in life is to be the person I needed when I was 13; back when I wanted my life to end because I couldn’t see a way forward. To be a voice speaking truth about God’s love. To be a visible person in mainstream media, because we have so few queer people on our television and radio. There’s a real lack of out, gay women and that encourages me to
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INTERVIEW be visible, to help younger gay girls know that you can be ‘out’ and have a successful career. HAVE YOU REACHED A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN LIVE WITH YOUR PAST INNER TURMOIL? I have, but the journey has been tough. I’ve become very vocal about mental health over the past few months. My journey to recovery has involved dealing with various repercussions from living in the closet. I’ve struggled with depression and been on antidepressants. I’ve also dealt with PTSD-type symptoms related to trauma that I’ve experienced from being in the closet. I’ve needed support from therapists, psychologists, and doctors - and I feel like it’s important to talk openly about this, in case others feel that there is shame in admitting these things. Now I do feel more or less ‘better’, but I think most of us within the queer community carry scars, and I do too. YOUR STRUGGLES HAVE, IN PART, RESULTED IN YOU BECOMING ILL AND BEING DIAGNOSED WITH M.E. DOES THIS AFFECT YOUR EVERY DAY LIFE? Yes, my journey has left me with an illness called Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (also known as M.E.), which means I have to take life a bit slower than I’d like. These days I need a lot more sleep than most people, and I have to structure my week so that I can rest after high-level work activities. It can get frustrating to deal with it, but I’m just grateful to be alive, to be ‘out’, and to finally get to be my true self at last. YOU ARE WRITING YOUR AUTOBIOGRAPHY. WHAT WAS THE 10
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HARDEST THING ABOUT WRITING IT? I just finished writing my book - a memoir which will be published next year by Harper Collins UK and USA. It was a pretty gruelling process to write it, as I had to revisit so many difficult memories that I’d rather forget. But I know, based on responses from people when they’ve read my coming out interview, or heard my keynotes or media work since, that hearing those experiences is helpful. AND FINALLY, WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU? I do a portfolio of work, so there’s always lots of plates to spin! I’m enjoy doing guest-presenting slots on programmes like BBC1’s Songs of Praise and BBC1’s Sunday Morning Live. I also do Thought For The Day on Radio 4’s Today programme. So those are ongoing. I’ll be writing for an increasing number of newspapers and magazines on religion and on LGBT topics. I’ve got to edit my book for Harper Collins – and of course carry on with my PhD too! I also want to focus on to helping I want to learn how to help young LGBT people, to be the voice and role model I needed when I was a teenager. My other key goal for the future is to help change the church from the inside, out; through campaigning, conversations behind closed doors with leaders and influencers, and through being a visible role-model. I hope to see the Church in this country become vastly more LGBT inclusive and shift on major issues like same-sex marriage. There are many of us working within the church towards this vision. It’s an uphill battle, but I believe we will see change come in our lifetime.
PRIDE POWER LIST
PRIDE POWER LIST 2016 Sponsored by
Welcome to the Pride Power List 2016, sponsored by BNP Paribas, nominated by members of the public and encompassing those fighting for equality. This year’s list includes nonbinary activists, politicians, CEOs of global companies and for the first time, YouTubers. Those in our top ten may already be well-known to you, but there are many on the list who are unknown outside of their immediate community. At a time when the worst violence in recent history has been perpetrated against our community, we must remember that even coming out is still an act of bravery. So we celebrate those people on this list. We celebrate each act of bravery that takes place across the LGBT+ community and encourage every single person to be inspired in the fight for equality.
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SIR IAN MCKELLEN, CH, CBE Actor and LGBT rights advocate @IanMcKellen Widely regarded as one of the world’s best actors, Sir Ian McKellen is twice Oscar nominated and the recipient of every major theatrical award in UK and US. Since coming out on BBC Radio in 1988, he has become one of the UK’s greatest spokespeople for the LGBT community. He was a co-founder of LGBT rights organisation, Stonewall, and is a patron of many charities including FFLAG, GAY-GLOS, LGBT History Month; Oxford Pride; Pride London; The Albert Kennedy Trust and The Lesbian & Gay Foundation.
PRIDE POWER LIST DJ, Bergdorf, has been featured in a national advertising campaign for Uniqlo. Bergdorf was named Marie Claire’s New Beauty Icon in their Redefining Beauty
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STEPHEN FRY Actor, presenter, writer, comedian and activist Regarded as one of the most outspoken celebrities on LGBT rights, Fry has used his presence on social media to comment on matters from equal marriage, to the Sochi Olympics and the boycotting of the Dorchester Hotel. In 2013, he presented a two-part documentary for BBC Two, Stephen Fry: Out There, in which he travelled the world to look at the lives of gay people in different parts of the globe, from Russia, to India.
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MUNROE BERGDORF DJ, activist and feminist @MunroeBergdorf Transgender model and
feature and as one of ES Magazine’s New Feminist Icons. She’s featured in a BBC viral video Things Not To Say To A Trans Person and the CNN documentary My Transgender Life. Bergdorf regularly donates her time to trans youth charities and Stonewall.
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CLAIRE HARVEY Senior Consultant, KPMG and Paralympian @harveysprout GB Sitting Volleyball Paralympic champion and Cambridge-graduate, Harvey, has been heavily involved in diversity youth sports. In 2014
she led the government’s LGBT sports charter steering group and was appointed Changing Lives Champion at the Youth Sports Trust charity, she also became a patron of Just A Ball Game? – a charity which aims to challenge homophobia in sport. Since being thrown into the media spotlight, Harvey has been an outspoken advocate of LGBT rights.
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ANGELA EAGLE First Shadow Secretary of State, Labour Party @angelaeagle Eagle was the first minister to come out
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PRIDE POWER LIST as lesbian in 1997, and has been an active and successful champion of LGBT rights in parliament ever since, helping to push through key pieces of legislation for LGBT equality. As Shadow First Secretary of State, Eagle is the Labour’s most powerful out politician, and in 2015, she became the first LGBT MP to front Prime Minister’s questions. She is a patron of Just A Ball Game?, Liverpool Pride and the British Humanist Association.
half of the first gay kiss on mainstream British television, in EastEnders in 1987. His career as an actor came to an end when he moved into politics and served as an MEP for 15 years. In 2014 he took the Rainbow List’s number one spot as the most influential LGBT person in the UK. In 2015 Lord Cashman became Labour’s special envoy on LGBT issues worldwide. He continues to support LGBT rights and charities on a daily basis, making a genuine and tangible difference to the lives of many people.
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LORD CASHMAN CBE Labour peer and LGBT rights advocate @mcashmanCBE Before Labour peer, Lord Cashman became a founder of gay rights charity Stonewall, he made history as one
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ALAN CARR Comedian and television personality @chattyman Chatty Man presenter, Carr, has been hosting his own comedy show since 2009. Seven years of being out and proud on the television screens of the British public has seen him effect positive change on everyday perceptions of LGBT people. Carr has won several awards, including Best Entertainment Personality at the
British Comedy Awards and LGBT Celebrity at the 2016 British LGBT Awards, where he gave an impassioned acceptance speech about LGBT rights around the world.
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ANTHONY WATSON CEO Uphold Inc, LGBT equality and human rights activist, Chair of Labour Business & Enterprise Council @AnthonyWatson Watson is a leading British business and technology Entrepreneur, and human and LGBT rights activist. His is the President & CEO of Uphold. The first non-
PRIDE POWER LIST American (and first Britain) ever appointed to the Board of GLAAD, a Patron of Diversity Role Models, where he speaks in schools about LGBT issues and diversity and Chair of the Labour Party’s Business & Enterprise Council, the first LGBT ever to hold that position.
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JACK MONROE Writer, journalist, activist, political commentator @MxJackMonroe Since coming out as non-binary transgender in 2015, food writer and LGBT activist Monroe has given their voice to bring greater understanding to non-binary identity.
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OWEN JONES Columnist, author, commentator and political activist @OwenJones84 Guardian and the New Statesman columnist and author of The
Establishment and Chavs, Jones is a fiercely outspoken political campaigner and LGBT+ rights activist. 11 VICKY BEECHING Theologian, writer, broadcaster, LGBT advocate and musician Songs of Praise presenter and out Christian, Beeching works at the intersection of LGBT equality and faith, campaigning to make religion a more welcoming place for all. @vickybeeching 12 PHYLL OPOKUGYIMAH Co-Founder, UK Black Pride One of the most prominent gay, black activists in the UK, Opoku-Gyimah is a trustee of Stonewall and the co-founder of UK Black Pride, which aims to promote unity within black LGBT communities. @ukblackpride
13 SUE PERKINS Comedian, broadcaster, actress and writer The Great British Bake Off presenter spoke out against the homophobia she faced from her doctor during fertility tests in 2015. She starts her live tour in Autumn 2016. @sueperkins 14 MARY PORTAS Retail consultant and broadcaster Retail guru and television presenter Portas was a high street business consultant for the government. She often speaks out in support of LGBT issues, is an advocate for same-sex families and has her own chain of charity outlets, which support Save the Children. @maryportas 15 ROSIE SPAUGHTON & ROSE ELLEN DIX YouTube video bloggers and presenters Rose Ellen Dix and Rosie Spaughton, known as Rose and Rosie, are British vloggers who regularly vlog about sexuality and LGBT issues. They won the 2016 Celebrity Rising Star
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PRIDE POWER LIST award at the British LGBT Awards. @RoseEllenDix @RoxeteraRibbons 16 JANE HILL BBC journalist & broadcaster BBC News anchor Hill came out in the BBC’s Staff magazine and advocates for better LGBT representation on television. Hill married her partner, Sara Shepherd, in 2012. @JaneHillNews 17 OLLY ALEXANDER Singer, songwriter & actor The lead singer of Years & Years and former Skins star Alexander regularly vocalises that his lyrics are about same-sex relationships and has spoken of the need for more gay role models. @alexander_olly
18 REBECCA ROOT Actress and comedian Starring in BBC2’s Boy Meets Girl, Root, an LGBT advocate, became 18
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the first trans person to play a trans character in a mainstream sitcom. Series 2 will be released later this year. @rebeccaroot1969
19 MHARI BLACK SNP MP The youngest MP to be elected to parliament in over 100 years, Black became one of 32 openly gay politicians in Westminster. When asked about her decision to come out, she replied, “I’ve never been in.” @MhairiBlack 20 HEATHER PEACE Actress, musician and LGBT rights activist With her new EP Come Home and a television project complete this year, Peace has still managed a live tour and a
1st birthday party for her daughter, Annie. @heatherpeace 21 GRAHAM NORTON Television and radio presenter, comedian and actor The comedian and BBC host of his own chat show has become one of Britain’s best-loved personalities. Norton has used his popularity to speak out against LGBT injustice. @grahnort 22 PETER TATCHELL LGBT campaigner & activist A lifelong campaigner, Tatchell has dedicated all of his life to furthering gay and human rights. He is the founder and director of The Peter Tatchell Foundation, a human rights organisation. @PeterTatchell 23 LORD COLLINS OF HIGHBURY Labour peer and LGBT rights advocate Lord Collins is a British life peer and member of LGBT Labour, who was outspoken about equal marriage during
PRIDE POWER LIST the Marriage (Same-sex Couples) Bill debate. @ Lord_Collins 24 DANIEL WINTERFELDT D&I Partner and Head of International Capital Markets, CMS A staunch supporter of many LGBT charities, Winterfeldt is also the founder of InterLaw, the leading LGBT legal network in the UK. He was head judge of the British LGBT Awards in 2016. @danielkamin
25 ASIFA LAHORE Gay Muslim Drag Queen The alter-ego of Asif Quraishi, a prominent British Pakistani drag artist and the UK’s first out Muslim drag queen. She has gone from strength-to-strength as a singer, songwriter and media personality. @AsifaLahore
26 JACQUI GAVIN Civil Servant A civil servant and transgender rights activist, Gavin is Vice Chair of a:gender, Trustee and Patron of the Youth Trans Centre of Excellence and works with Diversity Role Models in schools. @jacqui_gavin
27 SANDI TOKSVIG Writer, actor, comedian, presenter and producer The new presenter of BBC news chat show QI and co-founder of the Women’s Equality Party, Toksvig has been a lifelong supporter of gay rights, women’s rights, civil liberty and education. @sanditoksvig 28 GEORGE SHELLEY Singer, songwriter, radio presenter and actor Runner up of the 2015 I’m a Celebrity Get Me
Out of Here, Shelly choose not to be defined by his sexuality. @higeorgeshelley 29 LOU ENGLEFIELD Founding Director, Pride Sports UK Working across all areas of sport, Englefield provides training, advice, guidance and insight on the participation of LGBT people in sport and tackling homophobia and transphobia. @LouEnglefield 30 BEN SUMMERSKILL OBE Director, Criminal Justice Alliance Summerskill was Chief Executive Officer of Stonewall and is credited with turning the charity around. He is now Director of the Criminal Justice Alliance. @BenSummerskill 31 VINCENT FRANCOIS Regional Chief Auditor at Societe Generale Founder of the LGBT network at Societe Generale and a member of the company’s diversity committee, Francois has been
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PRIDE POWER LIST instrumental in the company’s involvement in many LGBT+ events and charities. @vflondon 32 PARIS LEES Journalist, presenter & transgender rights activist
From DIVA journalist to the first transgender presenter for Radio 1 and Channel 4, Lees’ influence and work as a transgender campaigner has made a demonstrable difference to the community. @ParisLees 33 SARAH WATERS Author and novelist Best-selling author of six lesbian novels, Waters’ work has greatly increased LGBT visibility in the public eye. She won the 2016 Lifetime Achievement award at the British LGBT Awards. #sarahwaters
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34 RUTH DAVIDSON Scottish politician, leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Davidson’s 2015 election ad featured her samesex partner. She has spoken publicly about gay marriage and homophobic bullying in schools. @RuthDavidsonMSP
36 SARAH GARRETT Managing Director, SPM Group Ltd Co-founder of the UK’s biggest diversity events company, Garrett started with lesbian and bi magazine, g3, then went on to create the Alternative Parenting Show, British LGBT Awards and other LGBT events. @g3Sarahg
35 GOK WAN Fashion consultant, author and television presenter
37 ANDY WOODFIELD Partner and Head, International Aid Development Consulting, PwC Founder of LGBT Network Glee@PwC, Woodfield is the most senior out role model at PwC UK. He is a trustee of Diversity Role Models and Action Breaks Silence. @andy_woodfield
From presenting television to writing books, Wan has gained a huge following. He uses this popularity to lend his support to a variety of charities, from Stonewall, Ditch the Label and West End Bares, to charities such as Refuge and PDSA. @therealgokwan
38 SOPHIE ANNA WARD Actress and author With a 40-year-long acting career, Ward was one of the first mainstream female actors to come out as lesbian. She regularly lends her voice to LGBT issues, with a focus on LGBT parenting. @sophieannaward
PRIDE POWER LIST 41 RILEY CARTERMILLIGAN Actor As the first ever femaleto-male transgender character played by a female-to-male transgender person in a UK soap, CarterMilligan’s role as Kyle in EastEnders represents a shift in trans visibility. #rileycartermilligan 39 ANNIE WALLACE Actress, campaigner & lobbiest Wallace was the first transgender person to play a regular transgender character in a UK soap opera, marking a historical moment in trans visibility. She donates her time to Manchester’s Gayfest, Mardi Gras and Pride. @anniewallace 40 HANNAH WINTERBOURNE Captain, British Army The highest-ranking transgender soldier in the British Army, Winterbourne is also Patron of the charity, Mermaids and an ambassador for LGBT Sport Cymru. @hannahw253
42 LORD WAHEED ALLI Media entrepreneur and politician British multimillionaire media entrepreneur, politician and Labour life peer, Lord Alli is one of only a few openly gay Muslim politicians in the world. 43 RUSSELL T DAVIES OBE Television producer and screenwriter The BAFTA-winning screenwriter is best known for LGBT dramas, Queer as Folk, Cucumber, Tofu and Banana and has also written for the Doctor Who series. In 2008 he was appointed an OBE. @TheWriterOfPain
44 CHARLIE CONDOU Actor & LGBT Family campaigner Best known for his role in Coronation Street, Condou is also the cofounder of Out with the Family LGBT family networking group and is an outspoken LGBT advocate. @Charliecondou 45 JANE CZYSELSKA Editor, DIVA Magazine The editor of DIVA Magazine since 2004, Czyselska has become a prominent figure in LGBT rights, lending her voice to many campaigns. She is also a qualified counsellor. @JaneCzyselska 46 PHILIP O’FERRALL Senior Vice President, Digital Media, MTV Senior Vice President of Viacom International Media Networks, Ferrall,
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PRIDE POWER LIST been the driving force behind Pride in London since leaving Number 10. 49 VINAY KAPOOR MBA UK Head of Diversity & Inclusion and EMEA CIB Diversity Council, BNP Paribas is Executive Champion for Viacom’s LGBT group, Viacom Emerge. He’s also non-executive director of Travesty Media, alongside comedian and writer Alan Carr. @MTVoferrall 47 DAN HUGHES PR and Comms Specialist, PRD Associates Hughes is one of the UK’s rising stars in PR. He started his career in TV before advising The Labour Party and Angela Eagle MP. He advises a variety of organisations on PR strategy. @DanHughesOnline 48 MICHAEL SALTER MBE Chairman of Pride in London A former aide to David Cameron and government advisor on LGBT issues, Salter has 22
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Birthday Honours. @stellduffy 51 SUSAN CALMAN Scottish comedian Lawyer-turnedcomedian, Calman is best known for her regular appearances on comedy panel shows QI, The News Quiz, and Have I Got News For You. @SusanCalman
The founder of BNP Paribas’ Diversity Week, Kapoor is also Head of Diversity and Inclusion at BNP Paribas UK and is committed to driving the success of the group’s D&I agenda. @VinayinLondon
52 MARK GOSSINGTON Partner - FS Risk and Regulation, PwC Creator of the LGBT UK Leaders & Advocates Social Media Powerlist, Gossington is also a sponsor of GLEE@PwC, a Stonewall Ambassador and a Purple Circle Sponsor of the Albert Kennedy Trust. @markgossin
50 STELLA DUFFY OBE Novelist, playwright, stage performer and theatre director The Room of Lost Things author, who is married to playwright Shelley Silas, has twice been named Stonewall Writer of the Year for her work. She was awarded an OBE in the 2016 Queen’s
53 ALISON CAMPS Deputy Chairman, Quadrangle Group Camp volunteers her time as Marketing Director
PRIDE POWER LIST for Pride in London and is responsible for the award-winning marketing and advertising campaigns #FreedomTo and #PrideHeroes. @AliCamps 54 DAVID HOCKNEY OM CH RA Painter, printmaker, stage designer and photographer Considered to be one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, Hockney’s early work was an open exploration of his sexuality when homosexuality was still illegal. #davidhockney
55 JAKE GRAF Writer, director, actor, and trans advocate The first transgender man to appear on the cover of gay lifestyle
magazine QX, Graf has been campaigning for years to increase trans acceptance in the public eye. @JakeGraf1
56 MANDY MCBAIN MBE Client Account manager, Stonewall Responsible for development and delivery of the MOD Diversity Strategy throughout the Naval Service, McBain developed the first Naval Service LGBT Forum. She now works with Stonewall on their Workplace Programme. 57 HORSE MCDONALD Singer and songwriter The Scottish singer and songwriter has been a vocal supporter of LGBT rights throughout her career and has been called an LGBT hero by MSP Angela Crawley. @horsemusic
58 CHARLIE CRAGGS Founder of Nail Transphobia Craggs has taken the message of trans equality nationwide with her Nail Transphobia campaign, an accessible and effective way of engaging people with the journey of trans visibility and acceptance. @Charlie_Craggs 59 SCOTT NUNN President, Commercial & Creative, Gay Star News With over a decade of experience in LGBT media, Nunn is the cofounder of Gay Star News website – the world’s only 24/7 LGBTI news service with partner Tris ReidSmith. @mrscottnunn 60 CARL AUSTIN BEHAN Politician A former Mr Gay UK, Behan was dismissed
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PRIDE POWER LIST from the RAF for his sexuality. This year he became the youngest and first gay Lord Mayor of Manchester. @CarlAustinBehan 61 SUSIE GREEN CEO of Mermaids Green has worked with Mermaids, the charity that supports children and young people with gender variance for almost 15 years, providing direct advocacy and support to the trans community. @Mermaids_Gender
62 WES STREETING Politician, Labour party Former Head of Education at Stonewall, Streeting worked to tackle homophobia in schools. He is a Labour MP and continues to speak openly about LGBT issues.@wesstreeting 24
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63 CHRIS BRYANT Politician, Labour party Shadow leader of the House of Commons, Bryant won the Stonewall Politician of the Year award in 2011 and was a key figure in the vote for gay marriage in the Commons. @RhonddaBryant 64 TRIS REID-SMITH Co-Founder Gay Star News The Former editor of LGBT publication Pink Paper, Reid-Smith is cofounder of Gay Star News website – the world’s only 24/7 LGBTI news service with partner Scott Nunn. 65 COLIN CAMPBELL AUSTIN Head of Talent, Resourcing and People Development, Telegraph Media Group An openly-gay role model at the Telegraph Group, Campbell-Austin creates a workplace environment that strongly encourages diversity. He also donates his time as a judge of the British LGBT Awards and the European Diversity Awards.
66 STEVEN COX Executive Director Public Sector / VP, Head of Public Sector at Fujitsu UK and Ireland At Fujitsu Cox formed Shine, the company’s LGB+ networking group and has used his position on the executive board to visibly lead the company’s LGB+ agenda. @StevenAJC 67 BARONESS LIZ BARKER House of Lords, Liberal Democrats Liberal Democrat life peer, Baroness Barker came out during a powerful speech in the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill debate. She remains a powerful force for positive change in Westminster.
PRIDE POWER LIST 68 TIM JARMAN Assistant Director for Diversity and Inclusiveness, EY Jarman leads EY’s strategy for LGBT issues across the UK and Ireland, on the Steering Committee of National
70 JUNO ROCHE Trans activist and Blair Peach Award winner A former teacher who came to prominence after a trans rights speech at an NUT conference, Roche campaigns tirelessly for trans rights and is a Patron of Trans sexual-health centre CliniQ. @JustJuno1 71 JONATHAN PHANG Television personality, agent and journalist
Student Pride, a member of the global Advisory Board of IDAHOT and a Trustee of the United Nations Association. @TimJarman 69 MICHAEL BRUNT Chief Marketing Officer & MD, Circulation, The Economist As one of the few openly gay leaders at The Economist, Brunt mentors LGBT staff, and is a regular participant and organiser of LGBT networking events. @michaelbrunt
A former model agent and judge on Britain’s Next Top Model, Phang also writes and presents for gay news website, Outnews Global. @Jonathan_Phang 72 SURAN DICKSON CEO Diversity Role Models A former teacher, Dickson is the founder of Diversity Role Models,
a charity which tackles homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying in schools. @surandickson 73 ELLY BARNES MBE CEO and Founder of Educate & Celebrate Barnes is the Founder and Chief Executive of the charity Educate & Celebrate, an organisation whose remit is to ensure schools are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and trans ‘friendly’. @elly_barnes 74 JUNO DAWSON Author and activist Award-winning young adult author Dawson is a trans activist and regular contributor to various magazines and television programmes on sexuality and identity. She’s also a School Role Model for Stonewall. @junodawson 75 DENNY TU Head of Strategy & Planning, Sky Sitting on Sky’s creative senior leadership team, Tu serves a mentor to emerging LGBTI talent at the company. He is
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PRIDE POWER LIST Stonewall, Hunt has worked to make the gay rights organsiation more inclusive by campaigning to further the rights of the transgender community. @ruth_hunt
actively involved in HRC, the Albert Kennedy Trust and Stonewall. @dennytu 76 BEN COHEN CEO, Pinknews A technology correspondent for Channel 4 News, Cohen founded LGBT news site Pink News. He also founded the Out4Marriage campaign for same-sex marriage. @benjamincohen
77 RUTH HUNT Chief Executive, Stonewall During her time as the Chief Executive of 26
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78 MARK MCLANE Global Head of Diversity, Barclays At Barclays, McLane has developed a global D&I strategy and introduced innovative approaches to communication and product design for the LGBT community. @MQMcLane 79 OLLIE LOCKE Television personality, presenter and writer Made In Chelsea star Locke is one of the few openly bisexual men in the spotlight. He regularly supports LGBT+ events and often discusses the difficulties he has faced as a bisexual man. @ollielocke 80 BISI ALIMI Gay rights activist, public speaker and blogger A Nigerian gay rights activist, Alimi was the ďŹ rst person to
come out as gay on Nigerian television. He is Executive Director of the Bisi Alimi Foundation and co-founded The Kaleidoscope Trust. @bisialimi 81 EMMA WOOLLCOTT Legal Director, Mishcon de Reya Outside of her role at Mishcon de Reya, Woollcott founded Pink Law, a pro bono legal advice service for LGBT people. She also volunteers for Diversity Role Models and Action Breaks Silence. @ecwoollcott 82 JAMES LEDWARD Publisher, G-Scene A former Liberal Democrat council candidate and publisher of Brighton and the South Coast’s Gscene magazine, Ledward has been a leading force in connecting the LGBT+ community and pushing
PRIDE POWER LIST for greater acceptance. @gscene1
Diversity Role Models and Stonewall.
83 ROBERT MCDOWALL Campaigner, co-founder & chair, The LGBT Network A gay rights campaigner, McDowall pushed for equal marriage rights in Scotland in his role as the co-founder and chair of The LGBT Network. He is also a member of the Equality council and director of SWSAN. @RobMcd85
85 VICTOR NEIVES Director, EMEIA Capital Markets, EY Nieves is a Director in EY’s Capital Markets centre, helping European companies navigate complex accounting and regulatory requirements. A passionate advocate for LGBT equality, he leads EY’s Unity UK&I Network and chairs OUTstanding’s membership committee. @domerspe
84 ALI BERRYMAN Chief Operating Officer of Barclaycard’s UK Consumer business
At Barclaycard UK, Berryman is the COO for Spectrum UK, the LGBT network. She was a British LGBT Awards judge in 2016 and also volunteers her free time to Albert Kennedy Trust,
86 TOM GUY Founder of National Student Pride As founder of National Student Pride, Guy has created a positive LGBT+ event for students across the country, with focus issues such as mental health and coming out. @Tom_Guy_ 87 TIM SIGSWORTH MBE Chief Executive, The Albert Kennedy Trust Chief Executive of The Albert Kennedy Trust and activist, Sigsworth received an MBE for his work in the LGBT community, which
began in his teen years participating in the Section 28 rallies. @TimSigsworth 88 PATRICK CASH Playwright, spoken word poet and contributing editor for Attitude magazine Playwright, Cash has been influential in opening conversations about chemsex and substance abuse across the LGBT community. He hosts the gay men’s wellbeing forum, Let’s Talk About Gay Sex & Drugs, in association with 56 Dean Street. 89 GARY EVERETT Artistic Director, Homotopia As artistic director of the two-month Liverpoolbased queer arts festival,
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PRIDE POWER LIST Homotopia, Everett has been an integral part of the event’s success and 12-year-growth. @HomotopiaFest 90 NIRANJAN KAMATKAR Creator GFEST- Gaywise Festival, artistic director of @WiseThoughts @GFEST London Kamatkar is the creator and Artistic Director of GFEST – Gaywise FESTival, the two-week arts festival in London and platform for LGBTQI artists, organisations and venues to promote LGBT and Queer arts. #niranjankamatkar
91 NEIL AMIN-SMITH Violinist, Clean Bandit Violinist with Clean Bandit and outspoken political and LGBT+ advocate, Amin-Smith is openly gay in the music industry and 28
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regularly comments on LGBT issues, pushing for equality. @Milan_Neil1 92 SARAH JANE MOON Fine artist and portrait painter Award-winning artist Moon addresses issues of LGBT identity and visibility in her portraiture and is a supporter of Stonewall and the Terence Higgins Trust. @sarahjane_moon
93 MARK ABRAHAMS Aircrew at Armed Forces and Chair of RAF LGBT Freedom Network Wing Commander Abrahams is the Royal Air Force’s most senior out gay man. He is Chair of the RAF LGBT Forum and consults with the RAF Equality and Diversity team.
94 LEE MARSHALL Co-founder of Stonewall, Trustee of Ben Cohen As a senior manager within the Church of England’s administrative bodies, Marshall is the is the only out LGBT member of the Executive Leadership Team in Church House. He cofounded the Church House LGBT network over five years ago. @lee_sw8 95 MATTHEW TODD Playwright, comedian and journalist Playwright, author and award-winning magazine editor Todd has been running one of the UK’s best-selling gay magazines, Attitude, since 2008. His first book, Striaght Jacket, is published by Bantam Press this year. 96 JIM MCSWEENEY Manager, Gay’s The Word McSweeney has kept the UK’s only dedicated lesbian and gay book shop relevant and influential in the community for almost 40 years.
PRIDE POWER LIST 97 CHRISTOPHER DRENNEN Managing Director, Institutional Advisory & Solutions, BNP Paribas Drennen is one of the most senior out leaders at BNP Paribas and is involved in promoting a broad array of community-building and social development programmes. He is also a sponsor of Diversity Role Models and a supporter of the Albert Kennedy Trust. 98 LT CDR CHRIS WOOD RN Royal Navy, co-chair of the Navy’s LGBT Network – Compass
Naval officer Woods is co-chair of the Royal Navy’s LGBT network, Compass and a visible senior role model.
Woods championed the network’s expansion from ‘LGBT’ to support all people who identify across the wider spectra of sexual orientation and gender identity. He is a strong advocate of LGBT+ rights and contributes to the Royal Navy’s diversity and inclusion policy. 99 PAUL ROBERTS Chief Executive, LGBT Consortium Chief Executive for LGBT Consortium, Roberts has played an integral role in the development of
the organisation and has worked within the LGBT voluntary sector for 12 years. @LGBTConsortium 100 SCOTT MCGLYNN Author, Journalist & Celebrity Interviewer Author and blogger McGlynn writes about LGBT issues to change the experience of isolated LGBT teens. His first book, Out details his struggles with homophobia while growing up. @ScottyMcGlynn
OUTNEWS
The Pride Power List is compiled GLOBAL by OutNews Global. The Pride Power List is not affiliated with Pride in London or the London LGBT+ Community Pride group. It was compiled through a public vote conducted via pridepowerlist.com If you think we’ve missed out someone who should be featured in next year’s Pride Power List, let us know via Twitter: @outnewsglobal, Facebook: facebook.com/ outnewsglobal or email: ppl@outnewsglobal.com
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PRIDE POWER LIST
POWER COUPLES Olympic diver, Daley and American screenwriter, Black have become one of the most famous gay couples in the world in the three years they’ve been together. They regularly attend LGBT+ events, support LGBT+ charities and speak out about LGBT+ issues.
Anna Richardson (left) and Sue Perkins SUE PERKINS AND ANNA RICHARDSON They haven’t been together long, but their coupling has made a big impact in the media already! Richardson spent 18 years with a man
before dating Perkins and has spoken openly about how being with a woman feels ’natural’ to her. TOM DALEY AND DUSTIN LANCE BLACK Britain’s favourite
Tom Daley (left) and Dustin Lance Black 30
Clare Balding (left) and Alice Arnold CLARE BALDING OBE AND ALICE ARNOLD The couple, who have been together for 14 years, were married in a private ceremony in 2015, which was backdated to 2006. As one of the most famous lesbian couples in the UK, they have been incredible role models to many members of the LGBT+ community.
PRIDE POWER LIST FIVE POWER COUPLES YOU SHOULD KNOW #RELATIONSHIPGOALS
Susie Orbach
Jeanette Winterson SUSIE ORBACH AND JEANETTE WINTERSON OBE Award-winning British author Winterson and psychotherapist and author, Orbach, have been a couple for seven years and married in 2015. Orbach is outspoken about the fluidity of sexuality, having spent 40-years with man, before meeting Winterson and accepting a public engagement proposal sent over Twitter.
JAKE GRAF AND HANNAH WINTERBORNE Actor and producer Graf, and British Army Officer Winterbourne are both outspoken trans advocates, working with charities to further a positive representation of the trans community.
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STRAIGHT ALLIES SINITTA Singer, reality star A gay icon whose songs include So Macho, Sinitta publicly gave her backing to the @Out4marriage campaign. Her video of support explained her belief that same-sex couples all around the world should be able to marry. RT HON JEREMY CORBYN MP, Labour Party Leader Leader of the Opposition, Corbyn has voted against every anti-LGBT bill and voted for every advance in LGBT equality since he entered parliament in 1983. That makes him the only candidate to have both opposed Section 28 and supported equal marriage. Corbyn was in attendance at the Soho vigil for the Orlando shooting victims. RT HON SADIQ KHAN Mayor of London Upon being elected as Mayor of London, Khan pledged to do everything 32
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he can to make London a more tolerant and fairer place to live for the LGBT+ community, and said he would restore the Mayor’s role attending Pride in London. Khan was also in attendance at the Soho vigil for the Orlando shooting victims. MARJORIE STRACHAN Head of Inclusion, RBS Under Strachan’s leadership as Head of Inclusion, RBS have taken headline sponsorship of the British LGBT Awards, demonstrating the bank’s, and Strachan’s, commitment to the LGBT community. SHARONE THORNE Partner, Deloitte As a member of Deloitte Executive, Thorne has been a highly visible and senior sponsor for
GLOBE for many years, and frequently speaks about the importance of authenticity and LGBT inclusion in the workplace. She is passionate advocate for diversity, and has developed a strong profile as an LGBT ally.
BRIAN MAY CBE Singer, songwriter and musician May co-founded the Mercury Pheonix Trust with Roger Taylor and Jim Beach, which raises awareness and understanding for people living with HIV. In the last two decades, the Trust has funded over 700 projects in the global battle against HIV/AIDs. He was honoured with an award at the British LGBT Awards in 2016.
PRIDE POWER LIST
GLYNIS DEAN Squadron Leader, Royal Air Force Squadron Leader Dean works at the Royal Air Force College in Lincolnshire, where she is responsible for recruitment strategies. She was awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours list 2013 for her contribution to securing
the Royal Air Force’s reputation as an inclusive employer. IDRIS ELBA Actor Elba found fame in the television show The Wire, before going on to star in BBC1 drama, Luther. Earlier this year, he spoke out on behalf of LGBT actors, saying he wants to see more gay characters on TV who aren’t “stereotypes”. NIGELLA LAWSON Journalist, television personality, gourmet chef and food writer Lawson is a supporter of gay rights charity Terrence Higgins Trust and has joked that she considers herself to be a gay man in a woman’s body. During an interview, she said that all women have it in them to fall in love with someone of the same sex.
LT GEN JAMES EVERARD KCB CBE Commander Field Army, British Army
As a result of Lt Gen Everard’s leadership as LGBT Champion, the Army was recognised by Stonewall as a Top 50 Employer of LGB Personnel for the first time in 2015. Despite having an exceptionally busy role as Commander Field Army, he is a visible and vocal champion of LGBT equality.
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INTERVIEW
BUSINESS AS USUAL AS LONDON CELEBRATES ITS PRIDE FESTIVAL, EILIDH MACLEOD TALKS TO VINAY KAPOOR, THE UK HEAD OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AT BNP PARIBAS ABOUT BEING AN LGBT+ INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE. FTSE 100 ANNUAL REPORTS SHOW THAT COMPANIES ARE STILL FAILING WHEN IT COMES TO LGBT+ PEOPLE IN SENIOR POSITIONS. DO YOU SEE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AS BEING AN INTEGRAL PART OF CHANGING THIS IN THE FUTURE? Absolutely. I’m pleased to see more and more large companies, like BNP Paribas, recognising the benefits of Diversity & Inclusion and how it can be a competitive advantage. Research widely demonstrates that embracing D&I makes organisations more successful. CAN YOU GIVE US SOME EXAMPLES OF HOW BNP PARIBAS PROMOTES AN INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE FOR LGBT+ PEOPLE AND THE DIFFERENCE THIS KIND OF INCLUSION HAS MADE TO THE COMPANY’S SUCCESS? Promoting an inclusive workplace at BNP Paribas comprises both a ‘top down’ and ‘bottom up’ approach. For example, in October 2015 our Group CEO, Jean Laurent Bonnafe, signed the Global LGBT Charter with l’Autre Cercle in France, which provides a benchmark for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity best practices across the BNP Paribas Group. Further down the organisation, we strive to embed LGBT+ Diversity into all areas of the Employee LifeCycle - from how and where we recruit LGBT talent, to ensuring 34
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that we provide tailored personal and professional development opportunities to LGBT+ employees. We have a very active PRIDE Employee Network and at our PRIDE Week this year we’re running educational and inspirational events on topics like LGBT and Mental Health, LGBT and Age and Trans*. We’ve also developed a BNP Paribas “Coming Out” guide to help signpost resources and support available to LGBT employees that’s distributed to every UK employee. Our efforts are not restricted to just the UK - we have very active PRIDE Networks in France, Belgium and the USA - all of which helped BNP Paribas to be ranked #2 in the Global WorkPlace Guide in 2015. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO AN EMPLOYEE ON HOW THEY CAN BEST SUPPORT DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AS AN INDIVIDUAL? The D&I journey definitely begins with the individual. Biases play a big role in our day-to-day lives. It’s also important to encourage individuals to try to recall examples of when they were left out and how they felt as a result. Finally, I would encourage Allies to recognise the extremely important role that they play in helping make UK business much more inclusive… there is still a lot of work to be done!
INTERVIEW
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NATIONAL PRIDES 2016 FURTHER PRIDE FESTIVALS TAKE PLACE AROUND THE UK AS FOLLOWS JUNE Pride in London Festival, 18-26 June (main weekend 25-26 June), London The biggest day in London’s LGBT calendar is the annual Pride in London parade and street party. Bringing together hundreds of community groups, student unions, charities and campaigners, the parade route passes many London landmarks including Downing Street, the home of Britain’s Prime Minister. prideinlondon.org
UK Black Pride 26 June, London Europe’s biggest community-led, not-for-profit group for LGBT people of African, Caribbean, Middle Eastern, Asian and Latin American descent, UK Black Pride features carnival-themed entertainment, arts and a big picnic. ukblackpride.org.uk JULY Pride Edinburgh 2 July, Edinburgh Scotland’s national LGBT pride festival, Pride Scotia starts with a march and rally, and afterwards is a festival encompassing live music from Scottish and international acts. prideedinburgh.org.uk
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PRIDE GUIDE Bristol Pride 1-10 July (Pride Day 9 July), Bristol A week-long festival, Bristol Pride is attended by more than 30,000 people each year. Pride Week events include a film festival and a comedy night, but the main event is the big parade. pridebristol.co.uk L Fest 15-18 July, Uttoxeter Britain’s award-winning L Fest brings lesbian music, arts, comedy and cabaret to Staffordshire. In addition to entertainment on several stages, there are workshops, family activities, sports and games, a cinema, and club nights. lfest.co.uk
Photo: © Chris Jepson
Northern Pride 15–17 July, Newcastle Northern Pride is a three-day event in Newcastle. Over 7,000 people join the parade, plus there’s a host of events in Exhibition Park throughout the weekend, where there will be a main stage, community market stalls, a youth zone, cabaret tent and dance tent. northern-pride.com
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Liverpool Pride 30-31 July, Liverpool From its beginnings in 2010, Liverpool Pride has followed a specific theme voted for by the people of Liverpool. Previous themes have included Rainbow Circus, Superheroes and Glam Fairytales, which explains why this event is one of Britain’s most visually flamboyant. The pride party features over 50 live acts across three stages. liverpoolpride.co.uk Belfast Pride 27 July–7 August (parade on Saturday, 6 August) Belfast Ireland’s largest LGBT festival, Belfast Pride attracts over 50,000 people for a week of rainbow-coloured celebrations. The highlight is Saturday’s Pride Parade, extending from the gay neighbourhood around Union Street and Donegall Street, all the way to City Hall, then back again for a massive street party. belfastpride.com
PRIDE GUIDE through Cardiff city centre. pridecymru.co.uk
Photo: © Chris Jepson/Brighton Pride
Pride Glasgow 20–21 August, Glasgow Scotland’s largest LGBT pride festival, Pride Glasgow is a two-day event held annually in August with plenty of entertainment on offer. pride.scot AUGUST Pride Brighton & Hove 5-7 August, Brighton and Hove The UK’s biggest Pride festival, every year Brighton Pride attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors. The main day sees a huge parade through the city, followed by a massive party with a main stage, dance and cabaret tents, a community village and a fun festival atmosphere. brightonpride.org
Manchester Pride 28–31 August, Manchester In August, Manchester’s gay village plays host to one of the biggest dates in the gay calendar: Manchester Pride. The month-long Pride Fringe celebrates the diversity of LGBT life, including art, culture and sport. This leads to the Big Weekend, including a huge Pride Parade across the city. manchesterpride.com
Leeds Pride 6-8 August , Leeds Yorkshire’s gay community celebrates at Leeds Pride. There’s a pride parade and two outdoor performance stages in the bustling city centre. With eight hours of entertainment and performers, it’s sure to be a grand day out. leedspride.com
SEPTEMBER Reading Pride 3 September, Reading A free community event, Reading Pride kicks off with a parade through the city to King’s Meadow, where you’ll find a full line-up of entertainment. There’s also a funfair, youth area and food, drink and market stalls. readingpride.co.uk
Pride Cymru 13 August, Cardiff Pride Cymru (‘Cymru’ means ‘Wales’) features big-name Welsh and international pop acts performing live on the main stage, a cabaret garden, funfair rides, a family zoneand there’s also a colourful parade
OCTOBER Iris Prize Festival 12-16 October, Cardiff During four days of international film screenings, panel sessions and parties, 30 short films by or about gay, lesbian,
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Photo: © Chris Jepson/Brighton Pride
PRIDE GUIDE
bisexual, transgender and intersex people compete to win the top accolade, valued at £30,000. irisprize.org Rainbow Film Festival 14-16 October, Shrewsbury, Ludlow and Market Drayton Held at venues across these pretty towns in Shropshire, the Rainbow Film Festival offers a host of premieres and special screenings of LGBT feature films and shorts. rainbowfilmfestival.org.uk NOVEMBER Homotopia Festival Throughout November, Liverpool Supported by Britain’s Arts Council, the Homotopia Festival is an exciting mix of 40
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theatre, contemporary dance, exhibitions, debate, and cabaret. homotopia.net DECEMBER Winter Pride Date TBC, London Join London’s LGBT+ community for the third annual Winter Pride, this year an inclusive club-night at the historic Elephant & Castle venue The Coronet with live acts, DJs, delicious Smirnoff cocktails and a party set to spiral into the early hours and take you through ‘til dawn. With big name headliners performing and local LGBT+ heroes taking to the decks, it’s set to be the biggest party in the winter calendar. winterprideuk.com
PRIDE GUIDE
PRIDE IN LONDON FESTIVAL 10-26 JUNE, PRIDE DAY 25 JUNE The Pride in London Festival returns for its best event yet this summer. Showcasing some of the most inspiring talents and celebrating diversity in the LGBT+ community, this year sees theatre, dance, talks, conferences, LGBT+ tours, art exhibitions and much more in a packed schedule of events. Parade day on Saturday 25th June coincides with the historic Stonewall riots. The run up to Pride in London Festival sees over 30 events taking place, from music and entertainment, film screenings and performances, to exhibitions and panel discussions, there’s plenty to keep you busy until the big day. The main celebration on Saturday 25 June has now become London’s largest single day outdoor event. Unlike other large scale festivals, it remains free at its
core. This year, Pride in London receives a special nod from the Red Arrows, the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, who will perform a red, white and blue flypast for the first time ever. The heart of London is shut down as a 40,000 person strong Parade runs through it from Portland Place to Trafalgar Square. The Parade starts at 1:00pm and continues for three and a half hours. Trafalgar square hosts the main stage with Seann Miley Moore and performances from Pride’s Got Talent finalists. Entry requires a £3 donation. The Official Pride in London After Party, Smirnoff Pride at Night takes place at the Electric Brixton from 9pm. With so much on offer, you’ll want to plan your Pride to get the most out of it. Find out more and plan your Pride at prideinlondon.org
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PRIDE GUIDE
MANCHESTER PRIDE ONE OF THE UK’S FAVOURITE PRIDES HAS JUST GOT BETTER! Manchester Pride Festival organisers have confirmed one of their biggest line-ups yet will perform at the awardwinning annual LGBT+ celebration. This year Manchester Pride takes place in August, with The Big Weekend running from Friday 26 - Monday 29 August and the main Pride Parade on Saturday 27 August. From the Main Arena, to Sackville Gardens, the Gaydio Dance Arena and the Expo, a ‘big weekend’ is guaranteed. This year also sees the return of Superbia – a year-round calendar of events that showcases, supports and celebrates LGBT and relevant arts, comedy, debate, film, literature, music, sport, theatre, family and community led projects within Greater Manchester, with the aim to encourage engagement, wellbeing
and culturally enhancement of the LGBT+ community. Artists confirmed to play so far are: Will Young, Judge Jules, Katy B, Fleur East, Heather Peace, K- Klass, DJ Ben Pearce and more to be announced! The Big Weekend tickets are on sale now, priced at £22 for weekend tickets. Day, family and children’s tickets are also available. Manchester Pride raises essential funds for LGBT and HIV causes in Greater Manchester. To find out more about the Manchester Pride you can follow the charity on Twitter @manchesterpride or visit the website at manchesterpride.com
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PRIDE GUIDE
BRIGHTON PRIDE 5TH – 7TH AUGUST The organisers of Brighton Pride have gone all out to bring you the best Pride festival yet. The £1.2 million project has expanded this year with the introduction of new Festival zones and a community cultural hub in the centre of the City. From the newly created Pride Pleasure Gardens to the iconic main stage - fun is guaranteed. Visit Pride Festival in Preston Park for: Official Pride Parade, Pride Main Stage ft Pam Ann (host), Sister Sledge, Carly Rae Jepsenm, DJ Fresh, Fleur East, Alesha Dixon, The 2Bears, Frankmusik and many more acts still to be announced. You will also find market stalls, girls dance tent, big top cabaret, pride dog show and the family diversity area
Official Parties Shoosh – The Official Pride Closing Party ft Ruby Rose Koochy – The Official Girls Pride Party ft The Fuel Girls Pride Miami Beach ft Queer Nation and Handsome Shine On at Ohso: The Pride Beach Classics Party Playa Playa Beach Party At Ohso Brut at Concorde2 Beyond at The Arch Sunday Sundae Pride Reunion Party at Patterns For more information visit brighton-pride.org. Earlybird tickets are already sold out. Tickets start from £25 for an individual ticket and £42 for a family ticket.
Photo: © Chris Jepson/Brighton Pride
Visit Pride Pleasure Gardens and Pride Food Village in Old Steine and Victoria Gardens for: Pride Community Stage, Pride Food Village ft Street Diner, The Rainbow Fund benefit concert ft Heather Peace, Lucy
Spraggan (ticketed), VIP area hosted by Absolute magazine, Sink The Pink, Dynamite Boogaloo and English Disco Lovers
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PRIDE GUIDE
UK BLACK PRIDE
FREE ENTRY ukblackpride.org.uk
26 JUNE UK Black Pride is a non-profit organisation that promotes unity and co-operation among all Black people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Middle Eastern and Latin American descent, as well as their friends and families who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender. The organisation is committed to producing an annual celebration of “Black Pride”, as well as organising a variety of activities throughout the year which promote and advocate for the spiritual, emotional, and intellectual health and well-being of
all related communities. The theme for the 11th annual event will be ‘Transforming Our Community’. This theme aims to give visibility to the levels of violence, discrimination and poverty that continue to take the lives of transgender people at alarming rates in this country and around the globe. The event will be hosted by comedian Gina Yashere on Sunday 26 June in London’s Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens from 1pm to 10pm. The event is free and will include some performances from big-name LGBT artists and LGBT supporting artists.
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LIVERPOOL PRIDE
Photo: © David Munn
PRIDE GUIDE
FREE ENTRY liverpoolpride.co.uk
30-31 JULY Liverpool Pride have teamed up with Orb Events to return for its seventh consecutive year, taking over St George’s Cultural Quarter, including St George’s Hall, The Plateau, William Brown Street and St John’s Gardens. This year’s theme is Liverpool Icons. With live music and entertainment, food and drink zones, community and education zones, a market place and family activities and speakers, Liverpool Pride is a family-friendly event with all ages encouraged to attend. Sunday will take a more laid-back approach in St John’s Gardens and a programme of Fringe events are being planned for on the lead up to the main Pride weekend. The increasingly popular and poignant Liverpool Pride March remains a major 46
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part of the activity. The March on Saturday 30 July will begin and end at the festival site of St George’s Hall, making its way through the streets of the city centre in celebratory style and returning to officially launch the opening day. Organisers are encouraging as many groups, organisations and individuals to participate as possible. The March will also feature guest speakers representing different LGBT communities. Liverpool Pride always coincides with the anniversary of the murder of gay teenager Michael Causer, who tragically lost his life on 2 August 2008. The festival was specifically created in his memory as a way to celebrate his life and empower the LGBT community. This year’s Liverpool Pride takes place the weekend before what would have been Michael’s 27th birthday.
PRIDE GUIDE
EDINBURGH PRIDE DESPITE CANCELLATION OF THE MAIN STAGE, THE SHOW WILL GO ON! Scotland’s capital city pride returns this summer on Saturday 2nd July 2016, despite unexpected refusals from Edinburgh City Council to license the planned outdoor event at Greenside Place or the alternate back up location adjacent to the Omni Centre. Unfortunately, this means that Edinburgh’s Main Stage for this year has had to be cancelled, but the Pride Scotia March will continue as planned. To watch or join the Pride march, assemble outside the City Chambers from 1pm to follow a new route through the city, culminating at the Omni Centre. Headline act, Ru Paul’s Drag Race’s Morgan McMichael will now perform at Chalky’s, with a meet and greet. Many of the other acts initially planned for the Main Stage will also perform on Pride Day at various scene bars and venues – for up-to-date details, check the Pride Edinburgh site. Still going ahead this year: • Health and Community fair at the Omni Centre • Trans engagement space (run in collaboration with the Scottish
Transgender Alliance and the LGBT Health and Wellbeing Centre) at the Holiday Inn Express Hotel on Picardy Place • The Annual Tea Dance from the Order of Perpetual Indulgence at Chalky’s Night Club • LGBT Youth Scotland’s Youth Space. For more details visit lgbtyouth.org.uk Plus, the night before Pride, Friday 1st July will see a very special Absolutely Fabulous the Movie release party in conjunction with Fox Searchlight Pictures, Vue Cinemas and Chalky’s nightclub, lunching Pride Edinburgh 2016 in spectacular style. For more information visit prideedinburgh.org.uk
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PRIDE ESSENTIALS
TOP TIPS FOR SURVIVING PRIDE
Words by Pixie Gabrielle
1
Avoid those bass-filled black holes, certain points where three or more different bar sound systems merge into one and you’re stuck in a vortex of never-ending, off-beat pulses. You see that poor soul curled up on the pavement over there? Yeah, they got sucked in. One way to escape is to lay down with your ears to the ground and crawl over to the closest group of happy drinkers. Once in the middle you are free to stand as their dancing bodies act as a barrier to the overwhelming sound implosion. This is also a fabulous way to meet new people. Take our word for it.
2
For some reason, at Pride, the overwhelming sensation of needing the loo attacks suddenly, with no warning. Avoid the three hour bathroom queues by rushing into the nearest McDonalds and grab a bag of McNuggets on the way. You know you were going to anyway. Ladies, declare the fact that it’s “Lady Week” and watch the boys part in fear like the red sea. If you’re a guy, you have the added bonus of outdoor urinals in Soho (as long as you don’t get performance anxiety) so you can continue to chat away with your friends while you relieve yourself.
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PRIDE ESSENTIALS
3
The lines to the bars are usually rammed to the walls, so instead of buying one drink at a time, buy four, stack them up like a champ and find a safe spot. Make sure to guard your liquid treasure with your life and watch your feet. Many an innocent beer has been lost due to unruly dance steps. Extra points? Spot a hottie looking undeniably parched and offer them a cup from your own personal stash. They’ll owe you one!
4
With such a large group of fabulous individuals coming together, your mobile phones will decide to drop signal. Keeping track of your friends while drunk, chasing fitties or merging into long queues is often impossible. The solution? Get some bondage gear and strap yourselves up like a human centipede. No longer will you find yourself wandering around searching for your group while trying to look cool and indifferent, the tears welling up behind your Ray-Bans. Child leads work as well. Wrap them around the drunkest of your mates and you’re all set to go!
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5
On that note, don’t forget to buy an abundance of insane looking souvenirs. Nothing says “YAY PRIDE!” like a rainbow umbrella hat and pink glitter wings. You’ll never wear these again and they’ll probably be covered in puke by the end of the day but for the few precious hours you’re donning the outfit you look like a Gay God. Just remember, whistles are not toys! Blowing into them incessantly will result in you you being wrapped up in a rainbow flag and strung up at the nearest gay bar. Whistle blowing is an art, it requires rhythm and timing so until you have (privately) mastered the art, just wear it casually around your neck.
PRIDE ESSENTIALS
PRIDE FASHION – FOR HIM
JERSEY SHIRT Polo Ralph Lauren, £95 houseoffraser.co.uk
SUNGLASSES Next, £14 next.co.uk
MAIN IMAGE All items, River Island riverisland.co.uk
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NAVY CANVAS HOLDALL Hammond & Co. by Patrick Grant, £80 debenhams.com
PRIDE ESSENTIALS
JACKET Topman, £65 topman.com
SHORTS Topman, £28 topman.com
KHAKI SHIRT G-Star, £80 houseoffraser.co.uk
BEATNIK SHOES Men’s at Dunes, £90 dune.co.uk/mensbrands
BOW TIE Burton Menswear, £10 burton.co.uk
T-SHIRT Primark, £8, In-store
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PRIDE ESSENTIALS
PRIDE FASHION – FOR HER SEQUIN SHORTS Topshop, £38 topshop.com
JEANS Zara, £29.99 zara.com WHITE HOODED TOP New Look, £19.99 newlook.com
DRESS Topshop, £75 topshop.com
WHITE CAP River Island, £18 riverisland.com
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PRIDE ESSENTIALS
SUNGLASSES Pretty Little Thing, £6 prettylittlething.com
SHIRT Zara, £29.99 zara.com
JACKET Miss Selfridge, £65 missselfridge.com ENTOURAGE TRAINER Dune , £80 dunelondon.com MAIN IMAGE All items, River Island riverisland.co.uk
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CAMPAIGN
EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY DAY THE GLOBAL DIVERSITY COMPANY HAS LAUNCHED A PETITION FOR A BANK HOLIDAY IN THE UK CELEBRATING EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY Linda Riley, CEO of the Global Diversity Company, started the petition to challenge Angela Eagle, the Labour Shadow First Secretary of State, for a National Diversity Day. The National Equality and Diversity Day Public Holiday is seen as a fitting way to celebrate the differences in cultures within our communities. The campaign will highlight the fact that it is time we had a national day to acknowledge the contribution to British life by all marginalised groups. Riley states: “This is a day that would celebrate equality and diversity throughout the UK. We live in such a diverse society that a holiday celebrating every race, age, gender, sexual 56
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orientation and religion would really bring the country together as one.” A public holiday which honours this is important if we want a tolerant, respectful society which embraces all the strands of diversity. It is essential that this initiative is understood, to help bring diversity to the forefront of our communities. Riley added: “Let the children ask ‘what is diversity?’ from a young age. Let the adults ask each other what it truly means to celebrate diversity.” Please sign the petition to show your support, Campaign for a new Public Holiday ‘National Equality and Diversity Day’ can be found on change.org
GENDER
X, Y + ZE IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR, A 20-YEAR-OLD STUDENT FROM WATFORD STOOD UP IN FRONT OF THE WORLD’S PRESS AND CAME OUT AS NONBINARY TO PRESIDENT OBAMA DURING A QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION IN LONDON, HOPING TO CHALLENGE WORLD LEADERS TO DO MORE IN PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF ALL LGBT PEOPLE. BELOW, WE LOOK AT WHAT BEING NON-BINARY MEANS AND TALK TO TRANSGENDER ADVOCATE, JACK MONROE ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE OF COMING OUT. Five years ago, a Canadian couple decided to raise their third child gender neutral. Announcing the birth of baby Storm to family and friends, the couple said they had decided not to share their newborn’s gender in a “tribute to freedom and choice in place of limitation”. Storm’s story was met with both praise and criticism, but Storm was not the first baby to be raised by parents who didn’t want to focus on their child’s gender. Over in Sweden, only the closest family members of child, Pop, knew what sex the youngster was. “It’s cruel to bring a child into the world with a blue or pink stamp on their forehead,” Pop’s mother told the media at the time. In Sweden, being gender-neutral isn’t such a big deal. In fact, five years ago, a genderneutral pre-school opened in Stockholm with the aim of freeing children from social expectations based on their sex. Here in the UK, which ranks behind Slovenia, Nicaragua and Namibia in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report, the government introduced the gender-neutral title ‘Mx’ last year, following in the pioneering footsteps of Royal Mail and several major banks. 58
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Furthermore, the Gender Recognition Act, the Equality Act and other legislation involving gender neither includes nor protects people who don’t identify with either gender, which means that they are not recognised, or protected, by law. There is still some confusion as to what the word non-binary actually means. Non-binary is also popularly referred to as genderqueer, genderfluid, gender non-conformity or agender. The words ‘gender’ and ‘sex’ are often used interchangeably, even though they don’t mean the same thing. Sex relates to physiology and anatomical parts, whereas gender is the socially constructed characteristics of man and woman, the simplest example of which being that boys like blue and girls like pink. Being non-binary means feeling like you don’t fit solely in either of those gender constructs of woman or man, not that you want to change your physiology. As far as pronouns go, it’s best to ask each person individually. While some prefer gender-neutral pronouns such as “they”, “their”, “them” or “ze”, others prefer the conventional binary pronouns “her”, “him”, “she” and “he”.
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Ruby Rose Thanks to the number of celebrities who have spoken publically about being gender fluid, awareness of non-binary people has been raised, helping to break down many barriers. Earlier this year, Will Smith’s teenage son Jaden featured as the face of the Louis Vuitton’s Womenswear collection campaign, prompting Orange Is The New Black star Ruby Rose to praise “the wider and lasting social impact the advert could have by opening a dialogue about gender fluidity”. Rose had already revealed her (she still uses female pronouns) own struggle with gender identity in 2014, when she released an autobiographical short film 60
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called Break Free. It became an overnight sensation and the former Litchfield inmate became an inadvertent spokesperson for non-binary people. In the UK, the food writer and LGBT activist Jack Monroe came out as transgender and non-binary in 2015 over Twitter, writing: “Yes I am transgender. Not all trans people transition from one binary gender to another, and it’s #NationalComingOutDay.” Pronouns aren’t “a big deal” for Jack, they tell us, but “on a day-to-day basis in print,” they prefer the pronouns “them” or “they”. Although it took many years of agonising, internal struggle to get Jack to the point where they felt able to tell the world they were nonbinary, the multi-published author tells us that from a very early age, they knew they didn’t feel like ‘a girl’. Things are changing, says Jack, “There is a thriving subculture of gender-nonconforming people on social media who can connect through a hashtag or a shared interest and find themselves part of a community. I think social media connects us in ways previously unthinkable. I spent 10 years painstakingly researching chest binders, upper body exercises, straight-legged jeans - where the Tumblr generation have all that information just 10 minutes away.” Ultimately, Jack tell us, the most important thing to remember when talking about gender is that “we are more than our chromosomes.”
PARENTING
(ROLE) MODEL MUM MUM-OF-ONE AND DIVERSITY ROLE MODELS’ FOUNDER, SURAN DICKSON, TALKS GAY PARENTING. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE OF GETTING PREGNANT AS A GAY WOMAN? It was a journey of excitement, hope, waiting, disappointment, elation; the monthly roller coaster of trying to conceive is well known to anyone who has been through it. A good friend is the donor; he will play a part as a positive role model but has no responsibilities. WHAT ARE THE BEST THINGS ABOUT BEING A MUM? Waking up to Sonny singing to himself in his cot (it might be very early but it’s an adorable alarm clock), smiles and cuddles, watching his personality unfold and seeing him develop physically. He’s currently into playing ‘crawl chase’ around the house, fun, for at least one person... WOULD YOUR LIFE AS A MUM CHANGE IF HOMOPHOBIA DIDN’T EXIST? As a mum, I haven’t experienced any homophobia - more heteronormativity. Everyone, from midwives to other mums at playgroups, assumes you have a husband and there is the occasional awkward conversation. However, in 62
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my experience, people are usually just curious and unsure of the language to use. My life would be less worrying if there was no homophobia because Sonny wouldn’t face future prejudice due to having an alternative family. YOU FOUNDED DIVERSITY ROLE MODELS, WHICH TEACHES CHILDREN ABOUT HOMOPHOBIC BULLYING. DO YOU WORRY ABOUT SONNY BEING BULLIED AT SCHOOL? Obviously I will be every school’s worst nightmare; the parent who trained as a teacher, runs an anti-bullying charity and has a child with a different family set up to explain. Many schools are really committed to tackling prejudice and educating children about difference so I would choose wisely, like all parents do. My main job will be to teach Sonny how to be resilient in the face of challenges like bullying. He’s already quite a big boy so that might stand in his favour! Find out more about DRM at: diversityrolemodels.org twitter.com/diversityRM facebook.com/diversityrolemodels
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GOLDEN SQUARE
Out With The Family is a series of funfilled events, where LGBT+ families and straight allies can make friends and meet others like themselves. These events help to create a safe and inclusive space for the children of LGBT+ parents; a space where they’re not the odd one out – as so many often are, at school and in social situations. It also gives parents the opportunity to discuss issues in a safe and supportive environment. Many people are lucky enough to live in large city with cosmopolitan and diverse areas, where being an LGBT+ family is quite normal. But, in many other parts of the country, life for LGBT families isn’t so simple... Lots of children growing up with LGB or T parents don’t get the opportunity to meet others like themselves, which is one of the reasons
Out With The Family (OWTF) was started. It’s also a really important support and networking space for the adults. Some people who attend the events are, quite literally, the only gays in their village, and that can be really isolating. The OWTF team try to think of as many different outings as they can, putting on everything from days out at the zoo, to bowling trips, picnics and pantomimes. In 2015, 100 OWTF members went to Legoland, the venue worked really hard to ensure that no-one felt excluded and even changed signs that previously read ‘Hello mums & dads!’ to ‘Hello parents & carers!’. It’s only a small thing, but it made all the difference. For the 2nd year running OWTF have an area at Pride in London’s Golden Square, with a children’s talent show, a Big Fish Little Fish disco and lots more.
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INTERVIEW
ACTION BREAKS SILENCE DRIVEN BY A BELIEF THAT ALL WOMEN AND TEENAGE GIRLS SHOULD LIVE A LIFE FREE FROM THE FEAR OF SEXUAL AND GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE, DEBI STEVENS HAS BEEN WORKING TIRELESSLY FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS TOWARDS THE EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN. IN HER WORKSHOPS SHE SHARES HER BELIEF THAT ALL WOMEN ARE BORN TO DEFEND THEMSELVES. WAS THERE A PARTICULAR EVENT THAT SHAPED YOUR LIFE? I was raped at 11-years-old in South Africa by someone I knew and trusted. People tend to be convinced that women are raped by a stranger, but the reality of it is that a lot of the time, it’s by somebody that we know and trust. I had no idea what was happening to me, I was ashamed so I didn’t say anything at the time. Although my parents wouldn’t allow me to take classes as a child because I was a girl, I competed in martial arts when I was old enough to make my own money. For the next 25 years, I wanted to know how I could protect myself, asked questions, taught self-defence and realised that I wanted to help the people who needed it most. WHAT WAS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND STARTING ACTION BREAKS SILENCE? I believe every woman has the right to live her life free from the fear of sexual and gender-based violence. In 2013, driven by the growing incidence of violence against women in India and my own personal experience, I founded Action Breaks 68
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Silence to offer my training free of charge to women and girls at risk in India and South Africa. HOW DID YOU BUILD UP ACTION BREAKS SILENCE AND DEVELOP IT? It all started with an idea, driven by my passion to tackle gender-based violence. My partner, Stephanie, gave up her job in the city and became our CEO and we started to build a team around us. We’ve now taught over 30 thousand women and girls in India, South Africa and the UK without a corporate sponsor. Getting people involved who are as passionate about this as I am was key to developing Action Breaks Silence. Working abroad and in the UK, it was important to find the right partners in order for our message to reach as many people as possible. We trained local people who understood cultural differences, people that spoke local languages and lived in the community. WHAT ROLE DO MEN AND BOYS PLAY IN SUPPORTING EMPOWERING WOMEN? First of all, violence against women is not solely a women’s issue. It is a human issue.
INTERVIEW
Every man should care about violence against women, just as much as women do. We have some incredible men working with us: our male instructors in India and South Africa are role models for many young people. We also have a programme for boys, which I think is so important, because unless we try to educate young boys to break down the stereotypes that they have about women and help them to understand something like empathy, then
nothing is ever going to change. HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THE DARKNESS THAT YOU SEE ALL OVER THE WORLD? To be honest with you, it is very hard and sometimes very overwhelming. Because I was raped at such a young age and because I didn’t share that horror with anyone, I learned to deal with extreme trauma alone. If I look at it positively, being forced to deal with such trauma
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INTERVIEW helped me to learn how to compartmentalise. Although I’m traumatised by the thousands of stories of violence I hear from young girls and women, I’m inspired by the bravery of the participants that I’ve had the honour to meet. That helps me deal with that darkness. They are the reason that I keep going forward. WHO INSPIRES YOU? I’m inspired by the courage of the survivors of violence that I meet all over the world. On another level, I’m inspired by Nelson Mandela. Annie Lennox’s fight against domestic violence and genderbased violence is also a great inspiration. IN WHAT WAY CAN ANYONE SUPPORT YOU AND BECOME 70
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INVOLVED WITH THE WORK OF ACTION BREAKS SILENCE? Anything people can do to support us is greatly appreciated as we’re a charity with big aspirations. You could volunteer in India, or alternatively, it costs around £5 for a girl to go through our programme, so any fundraising ideas are welcome! For more information go to actionbreakssilence.org or email info@actionbreakssilence.org
DIVERSITY IN MEDIA
DIVERSITY IN MEDIA AWARDS THE DIVERSITY IN MEDIA AWARDS ARE THE ONLY AWARDS IN THE UK TO RECOGNISE AND CELEBRATE THE VOICES THAT ACCURATELY REFLECT THE SOCIETY WE LIVE IN. The media is a powerful everyday tool to inform, entertain, inspire, report, investigate and campaign. What we read and hear shapes our worldview, influences our opinion, and forms part of our identity. Yet, too many voices seem to be missing from these conversations. Older women are elbowed off our television screens in favour of younger faces. Working class voices are rarely heard; neither are the views of people without academic qualifications. Those who do stick their heads above the parapet are often bullied and abused for their differences, instead of celebrated for their achievements. The Diversity in Media awards have been established to encourage and inspire people to pursue a career in the media by shining a light on role models and best practise. The 2017 inaugural event takes place on Wednesday Feb 1st at the Landmark Hotel in London. It promises to be more than just a glitz and glamour award ceremony: Diversity in Media will also be sponsoring education opportunities for a number of aspiring media trainees, to not only celebrate our current unsung media heroes, but to actively diversify the voices we hear, and to create 72
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opportunities, share platforms, and help break down the barriers to being heard and represented. CEO of Global Diversity Company, Linda Riley, says that a friend recently lost their job after coming out as gay. “I couldn’t believe that in this day and age people can still have their whole careers jeopardised for being openly gay.” “Diversity in the media is such an important reflection in our society as it is – for example the under-representation of BAME people in the media was highlighted by last year’s Oscars ‘whitewashing’ fiasco. There is so much more to be done.” “So many of our views are affected by what we see and hear in the media – these awards aim to recognise and celebrate the media organisations and individuals who are doing so much to effect change.” Co-founder of the awards Jack Monroe said: “Often the media we see and hear every day does not accurately reflect the people in front or behind it. We are as diverse as our number, each of us with stories to tell, but so often those stories go untold.” “I first entered the public eye as a gay single parent on benefits, with 4 1/2
DIVERSITY IN MEDIA Jack Monroe (left) and Linda Riley
GCSEs and two sleeve tattoos. I have had no media training, but have gone on to write for national newspapers, broadcast and present radio shows, and have been on BBC Question Time. But I am just a drop in an ocean of seemingly homogenous columnists and commentators.” “The Guardian recently published an investigation into the millions of comments left on its website, and the most abused journalists were gay, black or an ethnic minority, or women. We need to stand up and count our diverse voices, stand alongside them, and encourage people to pursue a career in a media that can accurately reflect our culture, our ethics, our histories, our experiences, our family units, and our day to day lives.”
“The awards are not only set up to celebrate those getting it right, but we are looking to sponsor a number of people through media training and education to help those who may not be able to otherwise access a career in the media.” Sophie Walker, leader of the Women’s Equality Party added: “I am delighted to support the inaugural Diversity in Media awards. At the Women’s Equality Party, we want to see the equal country we are striving for depicted all around us, broadcast from our TVs and written about online and in print. Better, more realistic representations of the true diversity of British people’s lives and experiences make it easier – and quicker – to achieve equality.” diversityinmediaawards.com
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COMMUNITY
IN RESPONSE TO ORLANDO
#WESTANDWITHYOUORLANDO From the assassination of Harvey Milk in 1978, to the victims of the worst mass shooting in U.S. history in 2016, violence against the LGBT+ community isn’t getting better. Around the world, it’s hard to know how many violent attacks are born of homophobia. A large number of offenses go unreported in many the countries where there is no legal protection or system for reporting hate crimes against LGBT+ people. From Russia to Africa and India, we can’t truly know how many people have been targeted as a result of their sexuality. In the USA, three-hours of bloodshed at Pulse nightclub in Orlando saw the murders of 49 innocent members of the LGBT+ community before the gunman Jack Monroe was shot dead. We won’t print his name,
because we don’t need to read it again. To the rest of the world, he is the fanatical ‘terrorist’ aligned with ISIS who committed the worst massacre in US history. To the LGBT+ community, he is the many-faced figure of violence and oppression we’ve known throughout history. He is the ultra-Orthodox Jew with a knife at Jerusalem Pride; he is the arsonist at the Upstairs Lounge in New Orleans; he is the nail bomber at the Admiral Duncan in London; he is the countless acts of violence we’ve experienced worldwide. As we see the number of gay bars and nightclubs in our community diminish, there is a danger that the attack in Orlando has added another victim to the list... the Safe Space. The thought that simply being in a place where we should
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Photo: © Pride in London
COMMUNITY
Thousands of supporters of the LGBT community hold a moving vigil on Old Compton Street for victims of the Orlando shooting
feel protected and accepted could turn us into targets is terrifying. But as news of the shootings spread, instead of hiding, LGBT+ people and our allies around the world gathered in their bars and clubs and safe spaces in mass vigils to the victims and in acts of resilience against hatred. Buzzfeed’s LGBT editor, Patrick Strudwick reported that across social media, people were coming out as LGBT+ in a show of solidarity and defiance; while online, campaigns raising money to pay for funerals and medical care raised millions of dollars in only two days as LGBT+ leaders across the world spoke out against the media’s demonisation of the 76
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Muslim community. As Jay Brown, communications director of The Human Rights Campaign said in an interview, the LGBT+ community will not fall for any “shameless attempt to divide us… We will not allow an act rooted in hatred against LGBTQ people to be used to promote hatred against Muslim people.” This summer as we celebrate our capital city’s Pride festival and Pride festivals across the country in the wake of this horrific attack, we should not be scared back into the closet by prejudice and hatred. Instead, we should celebrate and remember that we are resilient, we are strong and now, more than ever, we stand together.
BRITISH LGBT AWARDS
BRITISH LGBT AWARDS 2016 GAY CELEBRITIES, BUSINESS HEROES, CHARITIES AND ‘STRAIGHT ALLIES’ WERE ALL RECOGNISED AT THE BRITISH LGBT AWARDS, AT LONDON’S GRAND CONNAUGHT ROOMS ON FRIDAY 13 MAY. The British LGBT Awards honoured some of the world’s top stars in May this year, including Sir Ian McKellen, Sam Smith and Boy George. OutNews Global streamed the ceremony and interviews live with great interaction from those that couldn’t attend the sold out event. A range of gay stars and ‘straight allies’ were recognised for going the extra mile to ensure equality, opportunity and fair treatment for all, regardless of sexuality at London’s Grand Connaught Rooms, with the evening hosted by Mel B and Duncan James. Stage and screen veteran McKellen was handed the prestigious Global Icon Award for his decades of activism on behalf of the LGBT community. Congratulating all winners, former Spice Girl Mel said: “Every winner and every nominee is incredibly deserving. You are the cool kids and I am proud to be with you celebrating your success with you. “To win an RBS British LGBT Awards is 78
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simply fantastic because the public decides the winners. This is a fantastic event and it is really great to be part of it.” Other winners included, Queen legend Brian May who was given the Straight Ally of the Year accolade. Chatty Man star Alan Carr picked up the LGBT Celebrity of the Year gong, while BBC Two show Boy Meets Girl won Media Moment of the Year. Newsnight’s Evan Davis was named as Broadcaster of the Year, Olympic boxer Nicola Adams – Sports Personality and Sam Smith as Music Artist of the Year. Sarah Garrett, British LGBT Awards founder, said: “The 2016 British LGBT Awards shortlist showcases a huge range of LGBT celebrities and straight who are doing wonderful things for and on behalf of the LGBT community. This year’s award ceremony is set to be the biggest and best yet.” Some of the UK’s top business leaders, charities and organisations were also recognised for their commitment to the LGBT community.
BRITISH LGBT AWARDS Brian May and Adam Lambert
Vicky Beeching and Linda Riley
Alan Carr
L-R: Mel B, Denise Welch, Melanie Sykes, Rebecca Root and Duncan James
Sir Ian McKellen
Danny Dyer and Luisa Bradshaw-White
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INTERVIEW
THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENCE SQUADRON LEADER SHERRY McBAIN TELLS US WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE OUT IN THE ROYAL AIR FORCE CAN YOU GIVE US A BRIEF HISTORY OF YOUR CAREER WITH THE ROYAL AIR FORCE? I joined the Royal Air Force in 1996, aged 16. Initially, I trained as an RAF Medical Assistant and then moved from training and qualifying as a registered nurse, to becoming an intensive care nurse as part of the Critical Care Air Support Team, repatriating critically ill and injured patients from across the globe. I’ve completed six operational tours of duty during my career, including two in Iraq and two in Afghanistan. I commissioned in 2008 and was awarded the Best Overall Cadet award. In 2016, I gained a distinction at Master’s Degree Level in Neuroscience Nursing. I currently work at the Royal Centre of Defence Medicine as the Staff Officer in charge of Operational Commitments and Training. I’m also the Deputy Specialist Nurse Advisor Critical Care and Deputy Co-Chair of the RAF LGBT Forum. HOW DID YOU FEEL ABOUT COMING OUT PROFESSIONALLY AFTER THE BRITISH MILITARY’S POLICY CHANGE IN 2000? I was scared but relieved. Finally, no one could take my career away from me just 80
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because I loved someone who happened to be the same sex. Morally, I felt obliged to come out. I aspired to be a role model to others, especially those more junior or less confident. By coming out, I was able to perform better and focus on my job, rather than on hiding who I was. HOW IMPORTANT HAS HAVING AN LGBT NETWORK BEEN? The RAF LGBT network has helped me develop personally and professionally. I’ve gained additional qualifications and developed my military and leadership skills, allowing me to become an authentic leader. This, in turn, has meant I’ve been able to support and mentor others, which has increased confidence and enabled each member of the network to become a role model. Their outstanding contribution to improving the ‘lived experience’ for LGBT personnel has been recognised both inside and outside the Royal Air Force. The network also supports non-LGBT personnel with advice and guidance. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR PROUDEST MOMENT AT THE ROYAL AIR FORCE? My proudest moment was leading the RAF contingent in uniform at London Pride, it was both a privilege and an honour.
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BUSINESS
OUT AT WORK TOP 50 NOMINATE NOW! The Out at Work & Telegraph Top 50 list serves to celebrate the individuals who are paving the way for future generations by proving that being out at work doesn’t mean staying hidden or staying put. The contribution that out at work LGBTs make to their workplace and the wider community is helping to create a real social change, with both employees and employers are making it clear that sexual orientation is no longer a barrier to success. Founding partners, Barclays and Societe Generale were carefully chosen for the part they have each played in contributing to workplace equality by supporting LGBT events, companies, employee groups and rights. The 2016 Out at Work Top 50 was announced in a dinner and reception in the Rosewood Hotel, hosted by Lord Cashman of Limehouse, with businessman Anthony Watson, President and Chief Executive Officer of fintech startup, UPHOLD Inc, taking the number one spot. The list is compiled via public nominations and based on a set of criteria relating to the promotion of LGBT and inclusion issues. The achievements of each nomination are considered against the criteria by a select advisory panel before ranking takes place. The completed list is then published in the 82
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business section of the Telegraph Newspaper. Unlike other lists, it is not a measure of seniority, but rather of LGBT employees who are going above and beyond to influence change at their companies. Nominate for 2017’s list now at outatworktop50.com
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