LGB Alliance, the newly-registered charity that defends the rights of lesbians, gays and bisexuals, has appointed five new trustees, including one of Britain’s most successful female television executives, a much-admired Labour peer, and a leading feminist scholar who recently hit the headlines for defending free speech in universities.
Co-founder of LGB Alliance Kate Harris welcomed their appointment as a sign the charity has established itself as a force that’s here to stay, and a signal of its ambitious plans to become the foremost voice representing LGB people in the UK and worldwide.
“Our appointment of trustees is a further sign that the tide is turning in the debate about the need to protect gay rights. For over a year there’s been a coordinated campaign to silence us for stating the obvious fact that as gay people we need our own organisation focused exclusively on LGB people. That debate is over. Now our new trustees will help us move to the next stage – providing much-needed services that will protect young people in particular.”
Co-founder Bev Jackson pointed to the range of experience of the new trustees, which includes everything from international human rights law to business and the arts.
“With this great line-up of new trustees we expect to have a seat at the table when gay people’s rights are being discussed, in institutions such as the police or NHS or indeed in government. Gay people face discrimination worldwide – even in the UK. In countries like Ghana, Indonesia and Poland we see deeply homophobic attacks at the highest levels. There’s an urgent need for a group that is specifically LGB to help protect and assist our sisters and brothers everywhere.”
LGB Alliance was founded in 2019 after lengthy attempts by its founders to engage with organisations such as Stonewall, which used to focus on gay issues but now campaigns on gender identity. LGB Alliance faced multiple campaigns against its existence, including a petition against it being granted charity status, by opponents who claimed gay people should only be represented by organisations that use the acronyms LGBT or LGBTQ+. LGB Alliance argues that people with same-sex sexual orientation have very different needs from those who may wish to call themselves non-binary or “queer”.
The new trustees are:
Eileen Gallagher OBE:
Founder and former CEO of Shed Media Group – the drama company responsible for Bad Girls and Footballers’ Wives. As former chair of PACT, the trade association for independent film and TV producers, she successfully lobbied for changes to the 2003 Communications Act which created the media regulator, Ofcom.
Conrad Roeber:
As a strategy consultant, Conrad was the primary author of IPSO’s recent report into the treatment of transgender-related issues by the UK press. During the research for this, he became concerned about the potential for harm to women and LGB and transgender people in the confused debate about trans-related rights.
Kathleen Stock OBE:
Professor of Philosophy at Sussex University. Her most recent publication is Material Girls.
Robert Wintemute:
Professor of Human Rights Law at King’s College London, lawyer or expert in successful LGB court cases in Europe and Latin America, signatory of the 2007 Yogyakarta Principles (now critical of Principles 3 and 31)
Lord Young of Norwood Green:
Labour Party Life Peer; former General Secretary of National Communications Union; Joint General Secretary of the Communication Workers Union. Previous Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and later at Department for Business, Innovation & Skills. Ex-Governor of the BBC. National Apprenticeship Ambassador.
The new trustees will be joined by more in the next few months. They join the three existing trustees:
Malcolm Clark:
RTS and Emmy nominated executive producer, Malcolm earned his spurs at the BBC’s flagship science series, Horizon before becoming head of science at Mentorn Television. Over the years he’s made documentaries with Stephen Hawking, Richard Dawkins, Jesse Jackson, Germaine Greer, Gorbachev and William Shatner.
Kate Harris:
Previously VP American Express Corporate Services. Track record in leading business critical global relationships; strategic business planning and budget management. Lifelong feminist/lesbian activist: worked at Brighton Women’s Aid. Former volunteer fundraiser for Stonewall.
Bev Jackson:
After a career as a teacher and university lecturer in English literature, Bev spent 17 years as a translator at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Now a freelance academic translator, largely in art history. A founding member of the UK Gay Liberation Front and a former activist in many areas including refugee rights, she is the author of A Month with Starfish.