To mark Pride Month 2021 we're highlighting GMB's Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans + activists
June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender + (LGBT+) Pride month.
The month marks the anniversary of the Stonewall riots in 1969 in New York, which many consider to have birthed the LGBT+ Pride movement.
GMB is marking the month by celebrating our amazing, dedicated and inspiring LGBT+ activists and officers.
Every GMB region has LGBT+ activists who work hard every day to organise and support GMB members in protecting and extending their rights at work. Read more about our activists and officers below.
If you're a GMB LGBT+ member looking to get more involved in your union, why not think about training as a GMB rep? You can find out all you need to know here.
We're also marking Pride Month 2021 with online events focussing on experiences and action we can take to defend and extend LGBT+ rights, inside and outside the workplace. Find out more about the events at our equality events page - and register to attend today.
Christina Dearlove
Birmingham and West Midlands Region
I’m the GMB store Rep for Wilko in Didcot. I’m also the LGBT+ officer for the GMB Banbury Branch, Vice Chair and one of the LGBT+ Representatives on the Regional Equality Forum and a proud member of GMB Proud (the GMB Birmingham and West Midlands LGBT+ group).
I’ve been member of GMB since June 2017. I’m also a proud trans woman and lesbian. In my time with the union, I’ve helped form and get our regional LGBT+ group, GMB Proud, up and running. I’ve helped get GMB West Midlands out more to places, such as Pride events across the region.
I’ve represented the union, branch and region at a number of conferences, helped to rebuild policies for councils on trans inclusion and I feel I have helped raise the bar on how accepting and supportive GMB is for LGBT+ members.
Dawn Lovatt
Midland and East Coast Region
I am an intersectional person who is LGBT+, female, black and disabled. I’m an NHS Senior Healthcare Support Worker. I’m privileged to be a GMB rep and branch equality officer. I'm on the GMB Regional Council, the National Equality Forum and the national advisory NHS committee.
Personally, I’m from a complex background. I have twice been in care. Lived experience make me determined to fight for the vulnerable and speak out on injustice. My roles help me share in equality and employment campaigns with likeminded people.
The point is if one person stands up, change can be fought for. I believe that GMB can be the engine to engender change.
Come and get involved.
Alex Bryant-Evans
Wales and South West Region
My name is Alexander Bryant-Evans and I am a gay man.
I am a GMB Activist from the Wales & South West Region and have been a member of GMB since July 2018.
Within the union I occupy seats on the Regional Equality Forum (REF) for WSW and on the National Equality Forum (NEF). I also represent the GMB on the TUC National LGBT+ Committee.
There are a couple of things I am proud of doing as an activist, but here I will focus on one thing in particular: the Blood Equality Wales (BEW) campaign jointly run by myself and my partner Arron.
The campaign successfully petitioned the Welsh Government to change the law around blood donation, allowing men who have sex with men to more freely be able to donate blood in Wales from 14 June 2021.
Lou Foster-Wilson
Yorkshire and North Derbyshire Region
My name is Lou Foster-Wilson, a GMB organiser and Regional Equality Officer in Yorkshire and North Derbyshire.
As regional equality officer I try to work with the Regional Equality Forum to look at all equality strands equally, not just LGBT+ issues, and the piece of work I am most proud of is the work we have done in our region on hate crime. We created a booklet explaining what hate crime is and have a model policy for companies to adopt. This has been sent to the companies where we are recognised and we have had a good response.
My sexuality has never been a barrier to anything I have wanted to achieve in life. In coming out in my late 20s I have found an inner peace I didn’t have before, a wife and happy, settled work and life in general.
Life is good.