Black History Month
To mark the end of Black History Month, Basildon Pride Everyday wanted to celebrate iconic Black British trailblazers in the LGBT+ community.
Justin Fashanu
Justin was the first openly gay professional footballer. Playing for clubs in England from 1978 to 1997, Justin came out to the press in the early 90s. He committed suicide at the age of 37 in 1998.
Monroe Bergdorf
As a British, mixed-race, transgender woman she has used her platform as a international model to fight for better trans rights.
In 2018, Munroe made a documentary for Channel 4 called “What Makes a Woman”. In it she tackles her own gender dysphoria using her own experience and the latest science. You can watch it here: https://www.channel4.com/programmes/what-makes-a-woman
Munroe’s quest saw her win Changemaker of the Year at the 2018 Cosmopolitan Awards and she was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Brighton in 2019. She joined UN Women UK in 2019 supporting its #DrawALine campaign, aiming to put a stop to female genital mutilation.
Rotimi Fani-Kayode
Escaping the Nigerian civil war at the age of 12, the British-Nigerian photographer explored the tensions created by sexuality, race and culture through his work. In 1988, he co-founded the Autograph ABP, a non-profit photographic agency specialising in celebrating black photographers.
Rikki Beadle-Blair
British born in 1961 with West Indian family origin, he has made a name for himself with his involvement in the original Gay Liberation front movements that have now evolved to what we know as LBGT Pride today.
He has made a career in performing, writing and directing a long list of successful LGBT themed plays, TV series involving bullying, coming-out and homophobia.
Most notably: Stonewall (1994), Take it like a man (2001), Metrosexuality (2001), Roots of Homophobia (2002), Captivated (1997), Fit (2007) and Best Man (2008).
In June 2008, he was included in the Independent’s "Pink List" as one of the UK's most powerful/influential gay people.
He is actively involved in charities such as Big Up (2001) gay men’s health charity and Stonewall tour for bullying in schools (2014).
In 2016 appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the Birthday Honours for services to drama.
Phyllis Akua Opoku-Gyimah, aka Lady Phyll
Lady Phyll is very well known for her outstanding work in the Black LGBT+ community. In 2005, she helped found and organise UK Black Pride and continues her activism for visibility and advocacy of Black LGBT+ issues in the UK and beyond.