Stonewall today announces the first round of nominees for the ninth annual Stonewall Awards taking place on Thursday 6 November at the V&A. The Awards, supported by Bloomberg, E.ON, Google, Paddy Power and State Street, celebrate the positive contribution of individuals and organisations to improving the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people.
This year’s Award winners will be picked by Lib Dem Peer Baroness Barker, TV star Charlie Condou, playwright Jonathan Harvey, journalist and trans activist Paris Lees and doctor and TV presenter Dr. Ranj Singh.
The judges will choose winners in eight categories with thousands of Stonewall supporters picking the winner of the Hero of the Year Award and the Community Group of the Year Award.
The 2014 Hero of the Year nominees are Vicky Beeching, who spoke movingly about her battle to reconcile her faith and sexuality, Tom Daley, nominated for his brave coming out video released in December 2013, Pepe Julian Onziema whose activism as a trans man in Uganda in the face of threats of violence and abuse inspires millions around the world. Hollywood actress Ellen Page is nominated for her deeply moving coming out speech and Tim Sigsworth, Chief Executive of the Albert Kennedy Trust is nominated for his tireless work to support homeless LGBT people.
Other nominees announced today are those for Journalist of the Year and Advert of the Year.
Ade Adepitan, whose work on Unreported World highlighted the plight of LGBT people in Jamaica is nominated for Journalist of the Year alongside the BBC’s Jane Hill, Liz Mackean whose Dispatches documentary Hunted shone on a light on gay-bashing in Russia. Other nominees for Journalist of the Year are Patrick McAleenan of the Daily Telegraph and Paul Thorn whose Gay Times column documents life with HIV with humour and humility.
The nominees for Advert of the Year include Moss Bros, whose equal marriage campaign promoted smart suits for the first same-sex weddings, Southbank Centre whose summer Festival of Love celebrated commitment regardless of gender, Spotify who created a touching advert featuring two love struck male teenagers, Barclays and London LGBT Community Pride whose #FreedomTo campaign adorned buses, bikes and banks throughout the summer and Cornetto who produced an online short film that followed the unexpected love story of a tennis star and ball girl with a special guest cameo from Lily Allen.
Stonewall Chief Executive Ruth Hunt said: ‘Every single nominee for the 2014 Stonewall Awards shows how individuals and organisations can change the world through their words and actions. In 2014, Stonewall’s 25th anniversary year, it’s important to take a moment to reflect on the remarkable things we can achieve when we work together as a community. Here in Britain and around the world we need campaigners and advocates as much today as we ever have to make the world a better place for LGBT people. The Awards are our chance to thank those who are making this change a reality.’
Tickets for the Stonewall Awards on 6 November are on sale now and can be purchased from: www.stonewall.org.uk/awards
