» Hero worship
Heroes and heroines of the gay community will be celebrated at the third annual Stonewall Awards.
The awards from the lobbying charity commemorate those, gay or straight, who in the past year have had a positive impact on the lives of lesbian and gay people in Britain. Last year’s winners included Dan Gillespie Sells, Val McDermid and Alan Johnson.
Sponsored by Barclays, the awards will be voted for by thousands of Stonewall supporters across Britain. Categories include ‘Hero of the Year‘, ‘Bigot of the Year‘ and the ‘Stonewall & Barclays Community Group.‘ The chosen Community Group of the Year will receive a cheque for £5,000 to support its work.
Nominees as Hero of the Year include gay bishop Gene Robinson and Natalie Gamble, a veteran campaigner for equal access to fertility treatment. Nominations for Bigot of the Year include Northern Irish MP Iris Robinson and Heinz, which withdrew an innocent ad for mayonnaise after complaints that it featured a ‘gay kiss’. The other seven awards – including Writer and Entertainer of the Year – will be chosen by a panel of judges including Diane Abbott MP, artist Maggi Hambling and broadcaster Dawn Airey.
Ben Summerskill, Stonewall Chief Executive, said: “We’re delighted to celebrate all those people – both gay and gay-friendly – who’ve made an inspirational contribution to equality in Britain today. Our communities have a growing range of allies and they all too often go unrecognised.“
Stonewall Awards, V&A, London, Thursday 6 November.
