Celebrating equality and inclusion
When we launched the Pride Power List in 2012, it was a struggle for us to find 100 names worthy of inclusion. Since then, in part thanks to initiatives like the Pride Power List itself, LGBTQI+ people and their achievements have become increasingly visible to the point that, this year, we received more than 5,000 nominations. We’ve also added a listing for allies. I have always believed that together we are stronger and I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to everyone who has stood alongside their LGBT-QI+ friends and colleagues to fight for equality and inclusion while rejecting prejudice and exclusion.
Olly Alexander
Singer, actor
@alexander_olly
Olly is known for being the lead singer of Years & Years and is also an actor. Most famously, this year he starred in Channel 4’s history-making drama It’s A Sin. He performed the song of the same name alongside Sir Elton John at the BRIT Awards 2021.
2 Nancy Kelley
CEO of Stonewall
@Nancy_M_K
As the CEO of Stonewall, Nancy endeavours to ensure that the benefits of social change are felt by all members of the LGBTQI community, including people of colour and those in poverty.
Phyll Opoku-Gyimah
Co-Founder & Director of UK Black Pride, Executive Director of Kaleidoscope Trust
@MsLadyPhyll
Executive Director of Kaleidoscope Trust and Co-Founder and Director of UK Black Pride, Lady Phyll has a phenomenal track record in successfully campaigning for the better treatment of LGBTQI people of colour. She passionately stands up for the rights of the community across the world.
Sandi Toksvig OBE
Writer and broadcaster, actor, comedian, presenter, producer
@sanditoksvig
Sandi has appeared in Mock The Week, Whose Line Is It Anyway? and as a host on The Great British Bake Off and the BBC’s QI. She has been a lifelong campaigner for LGBTQI rights and co-founded the Women’s Equality Party in 2015.
Peter Tatchell
LGBTQI campaigner, activist
@PeterTatchell
Peter has been a persistent and powerful presence in the history of LGBTQI and human rights advancements in the UK for over 50 years. He is the founder of the Peter Tatchell Foundation. A documentary of his life, Hating Peter Tatchell, was released on Netflix in 2021.
Munroe Bergdorf
Model, social activist
@MunroeBergdorf
Munroe is courageous and tireless in her activism. A regular speaker on panels around the world, she is unafraid to call out hypocrisy in the media industry.
Dr Ranj Singh
TV presenter, columnist, author, doctor
@DrRanj
Ranj is the resident doctor on This Morning, and in 2020 became the host of Dr Ranj: On Call. In April, he announced he would appear in his own West End show, Scrubs To Sparkles.
Owen Jones
Political commentator, journalist, activist
@OwenJones84
Owen is a columnist for The Guardian and his work has also been published in The Independent and New Statesman. He is author of several books and in 2020, launched his own video channel, OwenJones.TV, designed to challenge corporate media.
Sheldon Mills
Chair of Trustees at Stonewall
@StonewallUK
Sheldon was appointed Stonewall’s new Chair of Trustees in 2020. During his time, he’s been involved with Stonewall’s move to become trans-inclusive and has long supported Stonewall’s partnership with UK Black Pride.
Jake Graf & Hannah Graf MBE
Writer, director and actor @JakeGraf1
Patron of Mermaids, Ambassador for LGBT Sport Cymru @hannahw253
Jake and Hannah were the stars of Channel 4’s documentary Our Baby: A Modern Miracle, in which we follow their journey to become parents to their daughter Millie. Hannah was formerly the highest-ranking transgender officer in the British Army and Jake is an actor, director and producer. They are both trans rights activists.
11 Sir Ian McKellen
Actor and activist
@IanMcKellen
Sir Ian is one of the UK’s most beloved and successful actors. He co-founded LGBTQI rights organisation, Stonewall, and is committed to legal and social equality for all LGBTQI people.
12 Bobbi Pickard
Co-Founder of Trans In The City, Stonewall Housing Golden Champion
@BobbityP
An extremely active member of the transgender community, Bobbi brings her project and programme management skills from her successful career at BP to Trans In The City, the collaborative organisation that increases awareness and education of trans issues.
13 Michael Cashman CBE
LGBTQI activist
@mcashmancbe
Michael’s activism has been integral to the forward momentum of LGBTQI rights for over 30 years. In addition to his acting career, he was a co-founder of Stonewall and was a Labour politician for several decades. His autobiography, One Of Them: From Albert Square To Parliament Square, was published in 2020.
14 Gina Yashere
Comedian
@ginayashere
Gina has appeared on television shows such as Live At The Apollo and Mock The Week. She has just released her memoir Cack-Handed in the United States and looks forward to releasing here in early July.
15 Stephen Fry
Actor, presenter, writer, comedian, activist
@StephenFry
With a career in television spanning 40 years, Stephen Fry is extremely vocal in his support for LGBTQI rights across the world. He has worked with many charities such as Stonewall and the AIDS Memorial Campaign.
16 Ben Hunte
BBC’s first LGBT correspondent
@BenInLDN
Ben was appointed the BBC’s first ever LGBT correspondent in 2019, topping the PPL the following year. In 2020, he also became the corporation’s West Africa Correspondent.
17 Hannah Bardell MP
SNP MP
@HannahB4LiviMP
As the SNP MP for Livingston, Hannah has served the constituency since 2015. She is a fantastic role model for the LGBTQI community and ensures fair representation for her constituents.
18 Christopher Joell-Deshields
Executive Director of Pride in London
@PrideInLondon
Chris took over as Executive Director of Pride in London earlier this year, after five key board members resigned following controversy surrounding the organisation’s POC representation.
19 Amazin LeThi
Global LGBTQI advocate, keynote speaker, athlete, cultural change leader.
@amazinlethi
Amazin is the only Asian LGBTQI Athlete to simultaneously hold six LGBTQI sports ambassador roles across the world. She is a fierce campaigner for Asian LGBTQI rights.
20 Darren Styles
Owner of Attitude magazine
@bydarrenstyles
Darren is the first gay owner of Attitude. He has transformed the magazine into a multi-platform media business and created the Attitude Magazine Foundation, which has raised thousands of pounds for LGBTQI causes.
21 Horse McDonald
Singer
@horsemusic
Horse McDonald is a singer songwriter and campaigner. In 2020, a portrait of Horse by artist Roxana Halls was acquired by the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, and now hangs in the Great Hall.
22 Lisa Power MBE
LGBTQI rights campaigner
@alisapower
Lifelong activist Lisa is a co-founder of LGBTQI charity Stonewall and has worked with organisations including THT, Switchboard and the Queer Britain Museum. In 2021, she was awarded the DIVA Hall of Fame award.
23 Ben Cohen
CEO of Pink News
@benjamincohen
Ben is CEO of PinkNews, the world’s most read and watched LGBT+ digital media publisher. Founder of the Out4Marriage campaign, Ben is also a former Channel 4 news correpondent and trustee of Humanity & Inclusion UK.
24 Bisi Alimi
Founder & Executive Director of Bisi Alimi Foundation
@bisialimi
Bisi is a gay rights and HIV activist. He was the first person to come out as gay on Nigerian television. He founded the Bisi Alimi Foundation, which advocates for the rights and dignity of LGBTQI people in Nigeria, taking people from invisibility to visibility.
25 Jameela Jamil
Actor, presenter, model, activist
@jameelajamil
After a successful presenting career, Jameela landed a starring role in hit US sitcom, The Good Place. She also created an online community called I Weigh, which aims to “amplify, advocate and pass the mic”.
26 Annie Wallace
Actor, campaigner
@Anniewallace
A patron of Mermaids, Annie works tirelessly to support and promote the needs of LGBTQI community. As an actor, she is most famous for her ground-breaking role in Hollyoaks and was nominated for a Scottish BAFTA in 2016.
27 Ryan John Butcher
Editor of Pink News
@ryanjohnbutcher
Ryan is an award-winning journalist and editor who uses his platform to call out those who have fallen short in their support of the LGBTQI community. Before joining PinkNews, he worked for leading publications including The Independent and Gay Times.
28 Cliff Joannou
Editor-in-chief of Attitude magazine
@CliffJoannou
Cliff is a writer, activist and editor-in-chief at Attitude. Formerly of QX magazine, he first joined the publication in 2015, and uses his influence to push for change on issues such as HIV stigma and transphobia.
29 Dawn Airey
Chair of Barclays FA Women’s Super League & FA Women’s Championship
@dawn_airey
Dawn has worked in the media industry for over 30 years, previously being the CEO of Getty. She is currently chair of Barclays FA Women’s Super League and FA Women’s Championship.
30 Jack Monroe
Author, cook, activist
@BootstrapCook
Jack started their blog, A Girl Called Jack, where they shared cheap recipes for sustaining themselves on the living wage. Jack is a prominent activist for LGBTQI causes, and was particularly vocal during lockdown about the free school meal voucher scheme.
31 Dr Ronx
A&E Doctor & TV presenter
@Dr_Ronx
Dr. Ronx rose to fame on the show The Unshockable Dr Ronx on BBC. They are proudly trans and non-binary, helping people become more open to and raising awareness of queer identities. Their motto is, “You cannot be what you do not see.”
32 James Frost
Publisher of Gay Times
@JamesFrostEssex
Alongside owning Gay Times, James is the founder of Coast Digital, a digital marketing agency. The company has previously been featured in New Media Age as a Top 100 Interactive Agency.
33 Jane Hill
Journalist, broadcaster
@JaneHillNews
Jane is a BBC News journalist and presenter. Her remarkable broadcasting career has spanned several decades. She is a champion for LGBTQI rights and diversity and inclusion. Jane has been a steady face for us all throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
34 Jamie Windust
Author, presenter, model
@Jamie_Windust
Jamie is a contributing editor at Gay Times and has also written articles for other publications. They regularly speak at panels on non-binary identity, freelance journalism and LGBTQI equality.
35 Heather Peace
Actor, musician
@heatherpeace
Heather has starred in UK television dramas including Silent Witness, Holby City and Lip Service. She is a singer-songwriter and recently released Heather Peace Live, which she recorded during the pandemic. Heather is an advocate for LGBTQI equality causes.
36 Joseph Galliano
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Queer Britain
@Queer_Britain
Joe is CEO of Queer Britain, an organisation that aims to create the UK’s first national LGBTQI museum, bringing together unique artefacts and stories which celebrate lives that have impacted Britain and helped shape our society.
37 Russell T Davies
Screenwriter, television producer
@russelldavies63
Russell has been writing for our screens since the 1980s. He has written for mainstream TV shows including Doctor Who and Coronation Street, but has also written LGBTQI-specific series such as Queer as Folk and, more recently, the award-winning It’s A Sin.
38 Jordan Gray
Comedian, screenwriter
@talldarkfriend
Rising to fame on The Voice, Jordan has since moved into comedy as a writer and performer, most recently writing and starring in Transaction, a Comedy Central original mini-series.
39 Sue Sanders
Chair of Schools OUT UK
@suesanders03
Sue Sanders provides educational resources for LGBTQI history. She has worked in the charity sector for over 40 years, challenging oppression while supporting voices and visibility of the UK’s rich queer history.
40 Lianne Sanderson
Footballer
@liannesanderson
Lianne made her international football debut in 2006 as a forward. She has been outspoken against the inequalities in the world of women’s football and campaigns for LGBTQI rights. She is also a pundit for Sky Sports.
41 Ian H Watkins
Singer, performer
@IanHWatkins
Ian is also known as “H from Steps”. In 2020, he made TV history by competing on Dancing On Ice as one half of a same-sex coupling, the first pairing of that kind on the show. He is father to twin boys.
42 Carrie Lyell
Editor-in-chief of DIVA magazine
@Seej
Carrie joined DIVA in 2013 and became editor-in-chief in 2017. She has also written for many other publications including The Guardian, The Independent, Metro and Gay Times. In 2021, Carrie was named one of Attitude Magazine’s 101 LGBTQ trailblazers changing the world.
43 Miriam Faber
Head of Content at Facebook
Miriam is a D&I activist with 17 years of experience. She comes from a journalistic and editorial background, with a particular interest in youth culture.
44 Dan Gillespie Sells
Singer-songwriter, performer
@DanGSells
Dan is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist, best known as being the lead vocalist and front-man for the rock group The Feeling and composer of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.
45 Charlie Martin
British racing car driver, trans rights activist
@GoCharlieM
Charlie is a British racing car driver and transgender rights activist who competes in endurance racing. This year she participated in the Britcar Championship with teammate Jack Fabby.
46 Valentino Vecchietti
Intersex activist, journalist
@ValentinoInter
Valentino works within TV, film and theatre as a consultant on projects concerning intersex human rights. She also provides seminars, talks and workshops on improving intersex representation and inclusion in the media, and in 2021 redesigned the Pride Progress flag to make it intersex inclusive..
47 Jayne Ozanne
Christian & LGBTQI rights campaigner
@JayneOzanne
Jayne is a prominent British evangelical Anglican. Having come out as gay in 2015, she campaigns for LGBTQI equality within the Church of England and the wider evangelical community. She was the driving force behind the banning of conversion therapy in the UK.
48 Liz Carr
Actor, activist
@thelizcarr
After many years starring in Silent Witness, Liz decided to leave the show last year. She is set to appear in The Witcher season two, which will be released later this year. For over 20 years, Liz has campaigned for disability and LGBTQI rights.
49 Cathryn Wright
Managing Director of Sedulo
@sedulo_group
The managing director of Sedulo, Cathryn also heads up the award-winning advisory firm and investment house’s London office. She was previously managing director of Stonewall.
50 Tom Allen
Comedian
@tomallencomedy
Tom is best known for TV appearances including co-hosting Bake Off: The Professionals. A hilarious stand-up, he wows audiences with his sharp tongue and hyperbolic, camp delivery. His book, No Shame, is due for release this year..
51 Vincent Francois
Regional Chief Audit Executive & UK Pride Allies Network Senior Executive Sponsor, Société Géneralé
@vflondon
Vincent founded the first ever LGBTQ+ network in a French bank over a decade ago. He is now its Senior Executive Sponsor and has been key in how Société Générale has provided support to multiple LGBTQ+ events and charities.
52 Claire Harvey MBE
Global Inclusion Lead at Vodafone
@harveysprout
A GB paralympian in sitting volleyball and track and field, Claire became a Trustee of Diversity Role Models after stepping down as their CEO at the end of 2018. She has recently joined Vodafone as their Global Inclusion Lead.
53 Kelly Simmons OBE
Women’s Professional Game Director at FA
@KellySimmo1
Kelly joined the Football Association from Warwick University in 1990. In the 2021 Queens Birthday honours she was awarded an OBE for her services to women’s football.
54 jane fae
Journalist, writer
@janefae
jane is a journalist and campaigner. As well as writing for publications including The Guardian and The Independent, she is director of TransActual and chair of Trans Media Watch.
55 Hugo Greenhalgh
Editor of Openly
@hugo_greenhalgh
After over a decade at the Financial Times, Hugo is the LGBT+ editor of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Reuters, and editor of its LGBT+ news website Openlynews.com.
56 Daniel Lismore
Fabric sculptor, designer, campaigner
@daniellismore
Daniel has been named by Vogue as England’s most eccentric dresser. He is a TED speaker and in 2019 opened Naomi Campbell’s Fashion for Relief runway show at the British Museum.
57 Arlene McDermott
Portfolio Director at London Stock Exchange Group
@LSEGplc
Arlene is co-chair of Proud, the London Stock Exchange Group’s LGBTQI network. She is a specialist with over 10 years’ experience in the design and delivery of large-scale change and transformation programmes for enterprise-wide initiatives.
58 Dan Hughes
Public Relations
@danielhughespr
Daniel is the founder of ThisGeneration, a leading LGBTQI PR firm whose clients include the DIVA Awards and the British LGBT Awards. His expertise in spearheading campaigns has seen him work with individuals as diverse as The Labour Party and Westlife.
59 Charlie Craggs
Transgender activist, author
@Charlie_Craggs
Charlie is an award-winning author who is best known for her Nail Transphobia campaign. She has been described by Vogue as “the voice of a community”.
60 Tim Jarman
Diversity & Inclusion Lead for the UK, Ireland & Western Europe at Microsoft
@TimJarman
Tim is an experienced Diversity & Inclusion professional with a passion for building a culture of inclusion and belonging. He is a driving force of LGBTQI diversity in the workplace.
61 Edward Enninful OBE
Editor-in-chief of British Vogue
@Edward_Enninful
In December 2020 Edward was announced as Vogue’s European editorial director. He was honoured for his services to diversity at The Fashion Awards 2020.
62 Pav Akhtar
Director at UK Black Pride
@pav_akhtar
Pav provides a place for celebration and advocacy for LGBTQI people of colour across the UK. He is an advocate for equality in employment laws amongst these groups.
63 Paul Martin OBE
Chief Executive of LGBT Foundation
@PaulMartinOBE
@LGBTfdn
In 2011, Paul received an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for his services to equal opportunities. In addition to his role as CEO of The LGBT Foundation, he is Chair of the National LGBT Partnership.
64 Andrew “Drew” Dalton
Chair of Trustees & Founder of ReportOUT
@DrewDalton1980
Andrew is the founder and chair of ReportOUT, a charity which reports, informs and defends against human rights abuses towards sexual and gender minorities across the globe.
65 Natasha Walker
Co-chair of Switchboard
@switchboardLGBT
Alongside being the co-chair of Switchboard, Natasha is the co-host of The Log Books, a podcast centred around queer history looking through the log books of Switchboard.
66 Jack Holden
Actor, Writer, Producer
@1JackHolden
Jack made his playwriting debut with his one man show Cruise, which opened in London during May 2021. He was inspired by a phone call he received while volunteering for the Charity LGBT Switchboard.
67 Mzz Kimberley/Kim Tatum
Singer, actor
@mzzkimberley
Kim was the first trans woman to present the first LGBT+ award for the Black British Theatre Awards for Sky television. She is the founding director of Mzz Kimberley’s LIFE, amplifying trans voices across the entertainment industry.
68 Mark Summers
Casting Director
@marksummerscast
Mark was a child actor in musicals, he started his first casting company from a spare room, at age 17 and hasn’t ever looked back. He uses his platform to support the LGBTQI community at all levels.
69 Alex Enness-Laporte
Co-Chair of Unity UK&I, EY’s LGBT+ network
@butternutpAlexE
Alex leads the wellbeing strategy, ensuring members feel welcome, like they belong and have access to LGBT+ EY resources on mental health. She speaks on panels about LBT+ issues and was a lead for the Alt Women Conference in 2019. She runs the global Women and Non-Binary Community of Unity group.
70 Ben Firth
Trustee at MindOut, Co-Chair of Unity UK&I, EY’s LGBT+ network
@firthy_ben
Ben works with EY leadership to raise awareness of LGBT+ issues and drive allyship. He leads the strategy on underrepresented LGBT+ communities driving change for bi+, trans and non-binary and intersectional identities. He speaks on various panels and last year raised over £3k for MindOut.
71 Richard Angell
Campaigns Director at Terrence Higgins Trust
@RichardAngell
Campaigners director at THT and trustee of Kaleidoscope Trust, Richard is also a newspaper reviewer on Sky and a communications, fundraising and policy strategist.
72 Reeta Loi
Founder & CEO of Gaysians
@r_e_e_t_a_
Reeta Loi is the CEO of Gaysians, bringing together resources, networks and organisations related to being queer and South Asian. She is a reporter for Vice and a contributing editor for Gay Times.
73 Mark Gossington
Partner at KPMG Australia
@markgossin
Co-chair of Pride@KPMG Australia, Mark featured in the Financial Times OUTstanding Leading LGBT Executives Top 100. He is a leading figure on LGBTQI business inclusion issues.
74 Mandu Reid
Leader of the Women’s Equality Party
@ManduReid
Mandu is the UK’s first black, bisexual leader of a political party who spent 12 years working in City Hall. In 2021 ran for Mayor of London.
75 Anna Kear
CEO of Tonic Housing
@tonichousing
Anna became CEO of Tonic Housing in 2018, playing a pivotal role in creating the first LGBTQI+ affirming retirement community, which is due to open in the capital this summer.
76 Chloe Morgan
Footballer
@Morgie_89
Chloe is a goalkeeper, currently playing for Crystal Palace. She is on the board of Women In Football and is the Director and coach of M-Power Goalkeeper Coaching.
77 Liv Little
Founder of gal-dem
@livlittle
gal-dem is a critically acclaimed magazine championing the creative contributions of women and non-binary people of colour. In 2020 Liv was named on the Forbes 30 Under 30 - Europe - Media & Marketing list.
78 Chris Paouros
Chair of the Executive Committee of the Women’s Equality Party
@chrispaouros
Outside the Women’s Equality Party, Chris is a trustee of Kick It Out, football’s equality and inclusion organisation, and Just Like Us, an LGBTQI+ charity for young people.
79 Lauren Rowles MBE
British parasport rower
@itslaurenrowles
Lauren won a Paralympic gold medal at the Rio 2016 Games. She was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2016 for her services to rowing.
80 Adam McCann
Chief Executive Officer of Diversity Role Models
@DiversityRM
Adam has been CEO since 2019 having previously worked in the legal industry as a diversity and inclusion professional, responsible for the development and execution of D&I strategy.
81 Laila El-Metoui
Equity & Belonging Consultant
@lelmeducation
Laila was the Stonewall Lesbian Role Model of the Year 2020. She is also the founder of Pride in Education, the largest LGBTQI+ global inclusion conference in education.
82 Ki Griffin
Actor, activist
@itskisces
Ki is Hollyoaks’ first intersex and non-binary actor on the show, playing Ripley Lennox. They are also an intersex rights activist.
83 Jacquie Lawrence
Director of Jackdaw Media
Jacquie launched the successful podcast series HenPower during 2020. She wrote the novel Different For Girls, which was turned into a series. The sequel, Same But Different, was published in 2020.
84 Kelly Valentine Hendry
Casting director
@KVHendry
Kelly is founder of inclusive company KVH Casting. She advocates for better LGBTQI+ representation in film and television, and cast recent Netflix hit Bridgerton.
85 Jacqui Lloyd
Senior Vice President & Apprenticeship Lead at Citi
@Jaklloyd
Jacqui is the co-chair of Citi Pride LGBT Network, delivering initiatives, programmes and events which support and empower LGBT+ network members. She is also a Diversity Role Model for the charity.
86 Rob Davey
Trustee of Bi Pride UK
@robertdavey
Rob works to improve diversity, inclusion and equality in the workplace and is currently Vice President of Strategy for the Intellectual Property Group at Clarivate. He is a Trustee of Bi Pride UK.
87 Holly Greenberry
Co-Founder & Co-Director of Intersex UK
@intersexuk
Holly is a campaigner for intersex rights and the co-founder of Intersex UK, a charity focusing on intersex education and consultancy, raising public awareness for the intersex community.
88 Kayza Rose
Activist, filmmaker
@KayzaRose
COO of AZ magazine, an online publication for people of colour, Kayza is also head of external events at UK Black Pride and an Arts Council England ChangeMaker.
89 Helen Belcher
Activist, politician
@HelenCBelcher
Helen is the Wiltshire & Corsham Town Councillor. She is also the co-founder of Trans Media Watch, a charity working to improve media coverage of transgender and intersex issues.
90 Simon Blake OBE
CEO of Mental Health First Aid
@simonablake
Simon is deputy chair at Stonewall. He previously chaired Diversity Role Models and is committed to achieving equality for LGBTQI people at all stages of life.
91 Hazell Dean
Musician, activist
@HazellHD
Hazell has committed herself to being a prominent member of the LGBTQI community, performing at Pride events across the world. She is a patron of Pride in Surrey.
92 Philip Baldwin
Human rights & LGBTQI+ activist, columnist
@philipcbaldwin
Philip is a human rights and LGBTQI+ activist, columnist and radio host. He co-hosts a radio show for Soho Radio. Philip is a trustee of the Ozanne Foundation and a Stonewall Role Model.
93 Libby Baxter-Williams
Director of Biscuit
@we_are_biscuit
Libby is the Director of the bisexual women’s advocacy organisation, Biscuit. She hosts events especially for bisexual people, campaigns against bi erasure and works with LGBTQI organisations to improve bi representation at all levels.
94 Chay Brown
Director of TransActual
@TransActualUK
Chay is director of TransActual, a game-changing organisation that provides a positive antidote to transphobia online. They educate people about trans people’s lives and the issues the community faces.
95 Spencer Cooper
Founder of For The Love of Queers
@spencooper
Spencer is the co-host of podcast Queer Talk and founder of platform For The Love of Queers. He has also worked with Troglo supporting queer sexual health.
96 Tim Sigsworth MBE
CEO of akt
@TimSigsworth
Tim is an activist and international adviser on mental health and homelessness issues. He received an MBE in 2016 and has been an activist for over 30 years.
97 Krishna Omkar
Lawyer & Advocate for Inclusion & Equity
@krishnaomkar
Krishna was named Stonewall’s Gay Role Model of the Year in 2018, in recognition of his work on LGBTQI inclusion in the workplace. He is a board member for Queer Britain.
98 Stephen Ireland
Founder of Surrey LGBTQ Pride
@stephenaireland
Stephen founded Surrey LGBTQ Pride in 2019 and creates events and safe spaces for Surrey’s LGBTQI community. He is also a patron of LGBTQI charity Educate & Celebrate.
99 Nichi Hodgson, Lewis Oakley and Ashley Byrne
Podcast co-hosts
@BisexualBrunch
A podcast dedicated to people who identify as bi giving them the opportunity to come together and celebrate their sexuality. Presented by Nichi Hodgson, Lewis Oakley and Ashley Byrne.
100 Owen J Hurcum
Mayor of Bangor
@OwenJHurcum
Owen is the world’s first non-binary mayor and Wales’ youngest ever elected mayor. They were elected in 2021. They are an advocate and activist for the LGBTQI community.
CELEBRITY ALLIES
Public figures standing up for LGBTQI rights
Beverley Knight MBE
Recording artist and musical theatre actor @Beverleyknight
Beverley has been a long-time ally of the LGBTQI community. She is a patron of the Terrence Higgins Trust and won the Attitude Ally Award in 2016.
Daniel Radcliffe
Actor
In 2020 Daniel wrote a powerful essay for The Trevor Project. He said, “We need to do more to support transgender and non-binary people, not invalidate their identities, and not cause further harm.”
Idris Elba
Actor, writer and producer @idriselba
This year Idris was one of 67 high profile people of Ghanaian heritage who signed an open letter calling for Ghana’s president to engage with the country’s LGBTQI population.
Jordan Henderson MBE
Professional Footballer - Liverpool Football Club @JHenderson
Jordan’s support of the LGBTQI community was celebrated this year when he was nominated for the special Football Ally award at the British LGBT Awards 2021.
Michelle Visage
Media personality and TV host @michellevisage
Michelle won the Attitude Ally Award in 2020 for her support of the LGBTQI community. As a public speaker she increases awareness and acceptance of the community, fighting for LGBTQI rights.
Naomi Campbell
Model, actor and businesswoman @NaomiCampbell
Earlier this year, Naomi was one of 67 celebrities and politicians of Ghanaian heritage who signed an open letter criticising Ghana’s stance on LGBTQI issues.
Nicola Sturgeon
First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Scottish National Party @NicolaSturgeon
In January 2021 Nicola spoke out about trans rights, condemning transphobia after accusations that the SNP has become a “hub” of anti-trans rhetoric.
Sadiq Khan
Mayor of London @SadiqKhan
Reelected Mayor of London in May this year, Sadiq has always been a vocal ally to the LGBTQI community. In 2021, he flew the lesbian flag above City Hall for Lesbian Visibility Week.
Simon Cowell
TV personality, entrepreneur and record executive @SimonCowell
Simon has been a longtime supporter of the LGBTQI community, most recently speaking out in support of Phillip Schofield after his public announcement.
Sinitta
Singer, songwriter and television personality @sinittaofficial
Sinitta has been a staunch ally of the LGBTQI community, often appearing at Pride events across the UK to lend her support. In 2018 she released the Pride anthem, Shine With Pride.
CORPORATE ALLIES
The people making a difference in the world of business
Curt Hess
Chief Operating Officer - 10x Future Technologies @10xBanking
Since winning the Straight Ally of the Year Award at the Out In the City and G3 Magazine Awards in 2014, Curt has ensured that LGBTQI issues have been championed in every aspect of his work.
Diony Lebot
Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Société Générale @DionyLebot @SocieteGenerale
Diony Lebot is a vocal supporter of LGBTQ+ equality and a powerful advocate for inclusion, calling for all members of the society to take action in creating a welcoming, inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ employees. She has been instrumental in Société Générale signing the L’Autre Cercle charter to promote LGBTQ+ Inclusion in the workplace.
Ian Donaldson
CEO - Atlanta Group @idonno07 @atlantagroupuk
Ian drives LGBTQI inclusion in every aspect of the business. Atlanta sponsors local Pride events, embraces rainbows for Pride month and raises awareness through their various channels.
June Sarpong OBE
Director of Creative Diversity - BBC @junesarpong @BBC
June was appointed to her current role in 2019. She uses her position to ensure fair representation of all minorities, including the LGBTQI community, throughout all of the BBC.
Karen Bosher
Executive Board Director - Greene King @Bosher16 @greeneking
Greene King launched its LGBTQI network with Karen’s support. The network, The Village Greene, has grown from strength to strength since it started in 2019.
Mark Hamilton
Head of Regional Marketing Social Good EMEA - Facebook @markyham @Facebook
Mark was instrumental in Facebook’s sponsorship of Lesbian Visibility Week 2021, reflecting the company’s support for the LGBTQI community.
Peter Markey
Chief Marketing Officer - Boots UK @petermarkey @BootsUK
Peter won Diversity Champion at the European Diversity Awards and highly commended in The Rainbow Honours as Corporate Ally. He is Exec Sponsor for LGBT+ network Boots Pride.
Sue Fox
Country CEO, Channel Islands and Isle of Man - HSBC @HSBC
The Executive Ally for HSBC’s D&I Allies group, Sue has helped put on events, implementing training and publishing content to improve inclusion within the bank.
Wincie Knight
Vice President of Global Inclusion Strategy - Viacom @VIMN_PR
Wincie leads VCNI’s diversity and inclusion strategy in EMEA. She is a brilliant advocate, proudly championing a company culture centred on belonging.
Zaheer Ahmad MBE
Global Head of Inclusion and Diversity, Consumer Healthcare - GSK @GSK
Zaheer has won multiple awards as a Diversity and Inclusion thought leader. He joined GSK as their Global Head of D&I in Jan 2021.
POWER COUPLES
Adele Roberts & Kate Holderness
BBC Radio 1 DJ @adeleroberts
Actor @KateHolderness
Both brilliant broadcasters in their own right, Adele and Kate have recently been working as a double act with appearances on E4’s Celebrity Coach Trip and presenting the DIVA Awards 2021.
Anita Asante & Beth Fisher
Aston Villa Footballer @NicenNeetz
ITV News Sports reporter & presenter @BethFisherSport
Anita is a footballer and Olympian, while Beth is a hockey player turned presenter. In 2020 the pair gave their first interview as a couple, speaking to Sky Sports as part of Lesbian Visibility Week.
Clare Balding & Alice Arnold
Broadcaster, journalist, and author @clarebalding
Journalist and broadcaster @alicearnold1
Claire and Alice met in 1999 when they both worked for the BBC. We have rarely seen them together onscreen, until their recent appearance as celebrity guests on Gogglebox.
Dustin Black & Tom Daley
Author, campaigner and film maker @DLanceBlack
Olympic diver @TomDaley1994
Dustin is an author, campaigner and filmmaker, perhaps best known for his biopic of gay American politician, Harvey Milk. Tom is one of the most successful British divers of all time.
Elton John & David Furnish
Singer songwriter @eltonofficial
CEO Rocket Entertainment Group, Chairman Elton John AIDS Foundation @davidfurnish
Pop superstar Elton and filmmaker and former advertising executive David have been a couple for over two decades. Together they raise millions for charity and in 2014 they were awarded the Human Rights Campaign Equality Award.
Ollie & Gareth Locke
TV personality & actor @ollielocke
TV personality on Made in Chelsea @garethplocke
Ollie and Gareth finally married, after Covid changed many of their plans. The duo were wed in The Natural History Museum in December 2020. They are currently sharing their journey to parenthood on Made in Chelsea.
Rose and Rosie
YouTube sensations and podcast hosts @RoseEllenDix @Roxetera
Already YouTube sensations, the couple started their podcast Parental Guidance in 2020, allowing us to follow their journey to parenthood. They are expecting a child this summer.
Rylan & Dan Clark-Neal
TV personality and radio host @Rylan
Presenter and former Police Officer @danclarkneal
Rylan exploded onto our TV screens auditioning for 2012’s X Factor and, since then, he has seldom been off them. In 2016, Rylan and Dan made history when they became the first gay couple to present This Morning.
Sue Perkins & Anna Richardson
Actress, broadcaster, comedian, presenter and writer @sueperkins
Television presenter, writer and journalist @AnnaRichardso
Sue and Anna have been the faces of some of the UK’s most popular programmes. Anna presents the Channel 4 show Naked Attraction and earlier this year Sue was unveiled as the celebrity inside the dragon costume on The Masked Singer.