It’s almost June, the sun is hopefully going to make an appearance sometime soon, pub gardens everywhere are starting to fill up and Pride Month is almost upon us.
Pride Month was started to commemorate the Stonewall Riots of June 1969, a pivotal event in the LGBTQ+ rights movement. In the corporate world, it is an opportunity for companies to actively demonstrate their commitment to creating an inclusive and supportive environment for all employees, whilst also engaging with and supporting the broader LGBTQ+ community.
Here at JLA, around this time of year we are inundated with requests for brilliant LGBTQ+ keynote speakers who can share their own experiences and ideas. Speaking about why diversity matters, how to create an inclusive culture, how to be an ally and sharing their own stories of overcoming discrimination, here are some of my favourite Pride keynote speakers.
Nigel Owens MBE
Rugby Union Referee
Nigel was considered one of the world’s greatest referees in rugby union, and the sport’s only openly-gay official. Now retired after an inspiring 17-year career, Nigel can speak about his own personal story, touching on diversity & inclusion and mental health topics.
View Nigel Owen’s full JLA speaker profile.
Matt Lindley
Pilot & Human Factors Expert
Matt is an airline pilot and former RAF pilot, and can speak about his experiences as a gay man in the armed forces and how this has helped inform his views on organisational culture & leadership. He’s a fantastic keynote speaker – really engaging and thought-provoking.
View Matt Lindley’s full JLA speaker profile.
Ben Hunte
Senior Reporter, VICE
As Global Correspondent for VICE News, and formerly the BBC’s first LGBT Correspondent, Ben investigates stories about LGBTQ+ people, race and inequality from across the world. He took the top spot in the Pride Power List in 2020, and has been recently recognized for his investigations into transphobia at the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
View Ben Hunte’s full JLA speaker profile.
Dame Kelly Holmes
Double Olympic Gold Medallist
One of the most inspiring keynote speakers we work with, in addition to speaking about her incredible athletics career, Kelly can also speak around her experiences of coming out as gay after 34 years of fear and her experiences of now feeling free to be her authentic self.
View Kelly Holmes’s full JLA speaker profile.
Munroe Bergdorf
Trans Model & Activist
Munroe is a brilliant addition to any Pride event line-ups. She is a renowned model, writer and activist, and has been a passionate voice for inclusion in the beauty & fashion industry, and society in general. She is a UN Women Changemaker, and a proud ambassador of the transgender youth charity Mermaids.
View Munroe Bergdorf’s full JLA speaker profile.
Eddie Izzard
Campaigner, Comedian & Actor
Eddie is such a powerhouse of a speaker – everyone knows who she is, and her story is so inspiring. From her career in comedy & movies, to her incredible campaigning & fundraising (notably running 43 marathons in 51 days), to her experiences as a gender-fluid person, she has a lot of content to cover!
View Eddie Izzard’s full JLA speaker profile.
Phyll Opoku-Gyimah
Co-Founder of UK Black Pride
Phyll (also known as Lady Phyll) is a political activist and campaigner known for her work across race, gender, sexuality and class issues. She is the Co-Founder of UK Black Pride, and has been a constant name in the top 10 on the World Pride Power list since 2017.
For more information, or to book Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, please contact your JLA account manager.
To book one of the above speakers or for more information on what a top diversity & inclusion speaker can bring to your event, do not hesitate to get in touch with us!