Here’s all the winners and presenters from last night’s historic PinkNews Awards
The PinkNews Awards 2019. (Paul Grace)
The PinkNews Awards 2019 on October 16 saw politicians and celebrities alike come together to support LGBT+ rights, and reward those who have been fighting for them.
Trans rights and the Gender Recognition Act (GRA) were focused on by many of the speakers, which was even more poignant after government figures the day before revealed that hate crimes against trans people in the UK have increased by 37 percent in just one year.
The awards opened with a video message from Prime Minister Boris Johnson, addressing LGBT+ inclusive education. He said he wanted to “make sure that every young person feels safe at school and that teachers reflect Britain as it is, in all its diversity”.
PinkNews Awards 2019 winners and presenters
Jeremy Corbyn presented the Drama Award to EastEnders (Paul Grace)
Drama Award: Won by EastEnders, presented by Jeremy Corbyn
Leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn shared his pronouns when introducing himself in solidarity with the trans community, and gave a speech on the pressing need for progress on LGBT+ issues.
He presented the Drama Award to Eastenders which this year featured a Pride parade, a drag performance, a gay kiss, and the sight of Phil Mitchell punching a homophobe.
Business Equality Award: Won by Manchester Airport, presented by Baroness Susan Williams
Baroness Susan Williams of Trafford, minister of state for equalities, said in her speech that the process of reforming the Gender Recognition Act was more complex than she had expected, but that she was “committed” to getting it done.
She presented the Business Equality Award to Manchester Airport, which said that “inclusivity and diversity” were their “lifeblood”.
Special Award: Won by John Bercow presented by Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi announced John Bercow as winner of the Special Award, and described him as “a steadfast ally and a committed fighter in the struggle to end discrimination and honour the dignity and worth of every human being”.
In his speech, Bercow said that there was “work to be done on trans rights, because trans rights are human rights”, to huge applause.
Broadcast Award: Won by ITV’s Gay Cure Therapy Uncovered, presented by Diane Abbott
Labour’s Diane Abbott said in her speech that she will not tolerate people who use “religion as an excuse” for homophobia, and vowed to impose sanctions on tech giants that fail to tackle online hate crimes.
She presented the Broadcast Award to ITV News for the investigative report Gay cure therapy uncovered, which exposed gay conversion therapy taking place in UK churches.
Role Model Award: Won by Andrew Moffatt, presented by Andy Street and Peter Markey
The Role Model Award was presented by Andy Street, mayor of the West Midlands, to Andrew Moffatt, Birmingham schoolteacher and creator of the LGBT-inclusive No Outsiders programme
In his acceptance speech, Moffat urged the courts to maintain the injunction preventing protestors from gathering outside the school, but said the government also needs to do more to address the issue.
John Barrowman (Paul Grace)
Lifetime Achievement Award: Won by Russell T Davies, presented by John Barrowman
Doctor Who and Torchwood star John Barrowman presented “groundbreaking” TV creator Russell T Davies with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Barrowman said every show that Davies had created had become “more progressive in its depiction of LGBTQ characters, more nuanced than the last in the emotional depth of those characters.”
Davies’ speech, in which he slammed Boris Johnson and cabinet members who voted against same-sex marriage, received a standing ovation.
Community Group Award: Won by Intercom Trust, presented by Dawn Butler
Dawn Butler gave a powerful and frustrated speech on the delays to Gender Recognition Act reform, and hit back at Baroness Williams on the issue for calling it “contentious” in her speech.
The shadow women and equalities secretary said: “Just amend the act already. 108,000 people contributed to the consultation, just amend the goddamn act.”
She presented the Community Group Award to Intercom Trust, a charity providing community-led services in the South West.
Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer spoke about his work as a barrister and director of public prosecutions, fighting to repeal anti-gay laws in Commonwealth countries.
He presented the Public Sector Equality Award jointly to Northumbria Police and the Welsh Assembly
Campaigner Award: Won by Ruth Hunt, presented by Gina Miller, Jake Graf and Hannah Graf
Anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller criticised Boris Johnson and gave a moving speech on empathy, saying that without it we could “write off the human race.”
She and trans couple Jake and Hannah Graf gave the Campaigner Award to former Stonewall CEO Ruth Hunt, who said via video message that she had stood “shoulder to shoulder with PinkNews as we battled against some of the misinformation, lies and propaganda against our [trans] siblings.”
Conservative MP Penny Mordaunt and Labour MP Jess Phillips were jointly named Politician of the Year by Lord Hayward.
Mordaunt, the former equalities minister who oversaw the Gender Recognition Act consultation in parliament, said that she had seen the results.
In a message to her successors, she said: “If you are brave, what you will discover is there is no need to be.”
The Third Sector Award was presented to Frontline by Sir Ed Davey, and the Ad Campaign of the Year Award was presented to Transport for London by Ian Blackford.
