Sue Perkins, Sadiq Khan and Sue Sanders among the honourees at the inaugural event at Madame Tussauds
Sue Perkins, Sadiq Khan and Sue Sanders were among the honourees at the inaugural Rainbow Honours last night, Wednesday 4 December.
Designed to celebrate those who work to further LGBQTI equality 365 days a year, the Rainbow Honours are different from any other LGBTQI awards event. It is an evening of celebration to shine a light on those unsung heroes and sheroes who give up their spare time to volunteer and strive to make the world a better place for the LGBTQ community.
Presented by Drag Race royalty Courtney Act and boyband legend Duncan James, the star-studded ceremony took place at the iconic Madame Tussauds in central London, with awards given to those familiar faces and companies who have given their time and support to challenge intolerance, injustice and hatred.
(Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)
Each category also presented its very own commended award for those whom the judges felt deserved their own special recognition at the event, with individual awards named after an LGBTQI hero. George Michael, Audre Lorde, Freddie Mercury and Lyra McKee were among those remembered on the evening.
A series of major awards were up for grabs this year, including the Rainbow Honours Lifetime Achievement Award, Media Moment, LGBTQ Icon, New LGBTQ Network Group and Trans Advocate.
Winners included LGBTQI homelessness charity akt, all-women garage, Spanners With Manners and campaigner Peter Tatchell.
To round off the night, a special Lifetime Achievement Award was delivered to LGBTQI activist Sue Sanders, chair of education charity Schools Out, who has worked towards equality, safety and visibility in educate for LGBTQI people since 1974.
Rainbow Honours winners 2019
LGBTQ NETWORK GROUP
Winner – AdobeProud Network – Adobe
Commended – Spectrum – GSK
NEW LGBTQ NETWORK GROUP
Winner – Prism – Jacobs
Commended – Kingfisher Plc & Greene King
LGBTQ CHAMPION
Winner – Bobbi Pickard – BP
Commended – Kevin Poulter – Freeths
HOUSING PROVIDER
Winner – Catalyst Housing
Commended – Metropolitan Thames Valley
SMALL BRAND
Winner – Spanners with Manners
Commended – Kings Cross Steelers
LARGE ORGANISATION-BRAND
Winner – Touchstone
Commended – Procter & Gamble
TRANS ADVOCATE
Winner – Adrian Harrop – Doctor & LGBT Campaigner
Commended – Ruth Hunt – Former CEO of Stonewall
CORPORATE ALLY
Winner – Keziah Halliday – NHS England
Commended – Pete Markey – TSB Bank
CHARITY
Winner – akt
Commended – Mermaids
MARKETING CAMPAIGN
Winner – Skittles
Commended – NHS Rainbow Badges
CAMPAIGNER / INFLUENCER
Winner – Peter Tatchell
Commended – Munroe Bergdorf
CELEBRITY ALLY
Winner – Sadiq Khan
Commended – Caitlin Moran
MEDIA MOMENT
Winner – Brookside – Lesbian Kiss
Commended – Lesbian invasion of the BBC Newsroom
LGBTQ ICON
Winner – Sue Perkins
Commended – Gareth Thomas
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
Winner – Sue Sanders
Find out more at rainbowhonours.com.
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