PRIDE POWER LIST 2020

THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO THOSE IN THE LGBTQI COMMUNITY – AND OUR ALLIES – WHO ARE DEDICATED TO WORKING TOWARDS TRUE LGBTQI EQUALITY AND INCLUSION.

1. BEN HUNTE

BBC’s First LGBT Correspondent
@BenInLDN

In April of 2019, Ben Hunte was appointed as the BBC’s first ever LGBT Correspondent, marking a watershed moment for reportage on sexuality and gender. Since starting the role, Ben has uncovered how black male victims of sexual abuse are ignored by the government, and broke the news of HRH Prince William supporting a hypothetical LGBTQI royal. His digital films, covering issues such as racism within the LGBTQI dating scene, garner millions of views. Due to his remarkable broadcasting, Ben Hunte has been nominated for awards from the Royal Television Society, PinkNews, and the British LGBT Awards. Ben’s work signals how LGBTQI issues will be brought to public attention in the future.

2. PETER TATCHELL

LGBT Campaigner, Activist

@PeterTatchell

Peter Tatchell has been a persistent and powerful presence in the history of LGBTQI and human rights advancements in the UK for over 50 years. He took part in the UK’s first ever Pride march in London in 1972. The founder of the Peter Tatchell Foundation, Tatchell remains an instrumental part of the fight to raise consciousness, and protection of human rights in the UK and worldwide, primarily against anti-LGBTQI policy.

3. DR. RANJ SINGH

TV Presenter, Columnist, Author, Doctor

@DrRanj

Resident Doctor on This Morning, and recently starring in his own show, Dr Ranj: On Call, Ranj does a phenomenal job in providing representation for LGBTQI Asians in the UK. He frequently discusses the challenges surrounding LGBTQI acceptance in the media as well as in wider society. As a health columnist for Attitude, he writes on the importance of all members of the community having a better understanding of their physical and mental health.

4. PHYLL OPOKU-GYIMAH

Co-Founder, UK Black Pride

@MsLadyPhyll

Executive Director and Co-Founder of UK Black Pride, DIVA Magazine Columnist, and Executive Director of Kaleidoscope Trust, Lady Phyll has a phenomenal track record in successfully campaigning for the better treatment of BAME members of the LGBTQI community. She passionately stands up for the rights of humans across the world, famously denying an MBE in 2016 as a protest against the anti-LGBTQI laws around the world that were put in place by Britain’s colonialist regimes.

5. MUNROE BERGDORF

Model, Trans Activist

@MunroeBergdorf

Munroe Bergdorf is a transgender model, performer, and activist. She has been in the modelling world since 2014, hoping to empower younger transgender children through representation, walking at both London and NYC Fashion Week. She is courageous and tireless in her activism, having been appointed LGBTQI adviser to the Labour Party in 2018, and is unafraid to call out hypocrisy in the industry and take a stand for justice and equity for all black transgender women.

6. ALI CAMPS

Co-Chair, Pride In London

@AliCamps

Pride In London is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to providing the UK’s biggest, most diverse Pride. As Co-Chair, Alison Camps is committed to ensuring that every member of the LGBTQI community is heard at the event. She is responsible for Pride’s social media campaigns: in 2020, #YouMeUsWe calls on everyone, in and out of the community, to reach out and understand one another with support. Her work allows LGBTQI people from all walks of life to celebrate and challenge prejudice together.

7. MICHAEL CASHMAN, CBE

Member of the House of Lords

@mcashmanCBE

Michael Cashman’s activism has been integral to the forward momentum of LGBTQI rights for over 30 years. He is one of the founders of Stonewall, and as a member of parliament, has tirelessly fought to tackle the rise of homophobia in the European Union, and was appointed CBE in 2013 for his political services. He also famously acted on EastEnders, being the first person to portray a same-sex kiss on mainstream TV – a defiant move for the time.

8. GARETH THOMAS

Ex Welsh Rugby Captain, Campaigner
@gareththomas14

Gareth Thomas is a professional rugby player, having led the Welsh team to victory for four rugby league caps. Thomas came out as gay in 2009, which helped normalise LGBTQI individuals in the sporting world, and was awarded the most influential gay person in The Independent on Sunday’s Pink List, and received Stonewall’s Hero of the Year award. He is currently leading the Tackle HIV campaign, challenging the stigma and misunderstanding of HIV.

9. HANNAH GRAF, MBE

Patron of Mermaids, Ambassador for LGBT Sport Cymru

@hannahw253

Previously an Officer in the British Army, Hannah Graf is the highest-ranking transgender officer, receiving an MBE for her services. Coming out in 2013, she became the Army’s Transgender Representative as a part of the Army LGBT Forum, mentoring and supporting the Army’s many transgender soldiers. Wanting to share her story with the wider public to increase awareness, Hannah has conducted interviews on multiple TV shows and advocated for transgender rights with her husband, Jake Graf.

10. JAKE GRAF

Writer, Director, Actor, Trans Advocate

@JakeGraf1

Jake Graf is the writer and director of several short films exploring gender identity, including Dusk, Brace, and Chance. Through expressing his own experiences of being transgender, Jake hopes to normalize queer and trans experiences to a greater audience, taking away the fear and misinformation that surrounds the topic. Along with his wife, Hannah Graf, he is an advocate for transgender rights in the UK, and has most recently fathered a child using his eggs that were frozen pre-transition.