Leeds Pride 25
25 pioneering individuals from the global Leeds community

Leeds Pride 25 celebrates LGBTQ+ individuals and allies from the global Leeds community making a positive impact in the Pride space.
Members of the global Leeds community have long been at the forefront of LGBTQ+ progress.
From artists to academics, writers to data scientists, activists to business leaders, they have inspired others, helped bring about life-changing laws, and been firsts in their field.
For Pride Month 2025, we celebrate, appreciate and thank those making a positive impact.
Meet the Pride 25.
Reverend Richard Coles, radio presenter, writer, former member of 80s duo the Communards
Reverend Richard Coles, radio presenter, writer, former member of 80s duo the Communards
Reverend Richard Coles (MA Theology and Religious Studies 2005)
Radio presenter, writer, former member of 80s duo the Communards and former Church of England vicar Reverend Richard Coles is a vocal advocate of LGBTQ+ rights. Richard has appeared on TV shows including Strictly Come Dancing, Celebrity MasterChef and I'm a Celebrity.
After nearly 20 years in the Church of England, Richard retired from parish duties in 2022 citing his frustration that the LGBTQ+ community is not given equal status.
Helen Finch, Professor of German Literature
Helen Finch, Professor of German Literature
Professor Helen Finch
Helen is Professor of German Literature at Leeds, recognised by Leeds alumni for the impact she has had on students and fellow staff during her time at the University.
Helen's main areas of research are in the representation of the Holocaust in German-language literature, queer identity and memory in German culture, and curriculum design. She is co-organiser of the LCS Queer Area Studies Network – a network which brings together the diverse range of research in the School of Languages, Cultures and Societies that engages queer topics and methodologies – and she’s a proudly transinclusive member of the LCS Equality and Inclusion committee and the University’s LGBT+ staff network.
One member of the alumni community described the difference Helen made to them:
“Helen was incredibly kind to all staff and students. Her office door was kept open so that anybody could go in and talk to her. She would give sound advice and compassion to all. I felt safe around her and saw her as an inspiration during my studies because I had just come out as a gay male at the beginning of my studies. She led classes on queer history, and was a key figure of the LGBTQ+ staff community during my time at Leeds.
Seeing her success and support of queer people made me feel seen and safe. I won't ever forget that.”
George Storm Fletcher, performance artist
George Storm Fletcher, performance artist
George Storm Fletcher (Fine Art 2022, MA 2024)
George Storm is a performance artist and self-proclaimed menace, working with text, printmaking, photography and video. Their eye-catching work predominantly manifests as a series of text-based architectural interventions with a DIY aesthetic. George Storm brings their queerness to bear through their work.
George Storm has recently worked with Leeds Cultural Investment Fund and Hyde Park Art Club on a film project called ‘HEAVEN’, which was released and exhibited in 2024. They have undertaken residencies at the Barbican Arts Group Trust, and their work has been exhibited at Blauverschiebung Festival in Leipzig, the Royal Academy of Arts and the Showroom Gallery, and artist-led spaces across the UK.
Sarah-Joy Ford, artist and independent scholar
Sarah-Joy Ford, artist and independent scholar
Sarah-Joy Ford (Fine Art 2015)
Sarah-Joy is an artist, and independent scholar. She works with textiles to explore the complexities and pleasures of lesbian, queer and feminist communities, histories and archives.
She has exhibited around the world – including at One Archives Gallery in Los Angeles – written for a number of international journals, and runs community craft and banner making workshops around the UK. She was the recipient of a North West Consortium Doctoral Training Partnership award for her PhD research, which examined quilting as an affective methodology for re-visioning the British lesbian archive at Manchester School of Art. She has recently been awarded a curatorial research grant from The Paul Mellon Centre to establish the Rachael Field collection at Bishopsgate Institute.
Her forthcoming solo show dykeland will be at The Whitaker in Rossendale 7 June to 21 September 2025.
Mark Gatiss, actor, comedian, screenwriter, director, producer and novelist
Mark Gatiss, actor, comedian, screenwriter, director, producer and novelist
Mark Gatiss (Drama 1989)
Actor, comedian, screenwriter, director, producer and novelist Mark Gatiss has spoken widely about his experiences growing up as a gay man and advocated for better representation of gay characters in television.
After rising to fame as star and co-creator of The League of Gentlemen. Mark’s accolades include the Laurence Olivier Best Actor award for his portrayal of Sir John Gielgud in The Motive and the Cue. He co-created and starred in the BAFTA and Emmy-winning BBC series Sherlock, and he’s starred in Wolf Hall, Game of Thrones, and Mission Impossible. In 2024, he was awarded an honorary degree from the University.
Leon Gray, fashion stylist and consultant
Leon Gray, fashion stylist and consultant
Leon Gray (English 2008)
Fashion stylist, consultant and Pride advocate Leon began his career at Vogue before spending over a decade with the Victoria Beckham fashion brand. His time there brought him to New York, where he now works as a stylist and creative consultant for public-facing clients in entertainment and media. Leon actively supports LGBTQ+ designers and remains committed to visibility and representation within the industry.
In fashion, visibility matters. I do what I can to champion LGBTQ+ designers and talent - not just because I’m part of the community, but because our stories deserve to be seen and heard.”
Professor Andrew Hartle, consultant anaesthetist
Professor Andrew Hartle, consultant anaesthetist
Professor Andrew Hartle (Medicine 1987)
Andrew is a consultant anaesthetist and professor of practice who is passionate about equality, diversity and inclusion, and speaking up. He was previously a squadron leader in the Royal Air Force, giving Andrew lived experience of British military’s prohibition against openly LGBTQ+ service members. In 1996 he was outed by a Sunday tabloid, suspended from duty, and subsequently dismissed.
He has been a trustee of various charities over the past 15 years, including Fighting With Pride – an LGBTQ+ military charity supporting veterans, service personnel and their families – since 2023.
Andrew is also the Honorary Civilian Consultant Advisor in Anaesthesia to the Royal Air Force and President of the Tri-Service Society. He was the first out gay man to hold each of these appointments. He is a past president of the Association of Anaesthetists, and the Anaesthesia Section of the Royal Society of Medicine.
Deb Hetherington, Executive Director at Leeds Digital
Deb Hetherington, Executive Director at Leeds Digital
Deb Hetherington (LLM 2010)
Deb Hetherington is a prominent innovation strategist and ecosystem builder based in Leeds, with over 15 years of experience in supporting startups and scaling businesses across the UK’s digital and tech sectors.
As Executive Director at Leeds Digital, Deb champions the social and economic growth of the region’s digital community. She also supports research from the University of Leeds and Leeds Beckett University around Artificial Intelligence and innovation, and sits on various boards and steers within the North to shape regional growth.
Deb has long been a champion of representation and diversity in the digital industry and co-founded WILD Digital, an initiative dedicated to empowering women and minority groups into digital roles.
She is currently working on developing a new health innovation centre in Leeds in partnership with NEXUS, The Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust, and Leeds Beckett University, which will sit within the health innovation village, housing innovations that will improve patient outcomes regionally, nationally and internationally.
Paul Johnson, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Professor of Sociology
Paul Johnson, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Professor of Sociology
Professor Paul Johnson OBE
Paul is a world leader in LGBTQ+ research based at the University of Leeds. He regularly engages with the UK Parliament and has worked on many aspects of law reform relating to sexual orientation equality.
Paul played a fundamental role in bringing about Turing's Law, which was named after the Bletchley Park codebreaker Alan Turing, who committed suicide in 1954 following a conviction of gross indecency with a man. Turing’s Law grants pardons to those previously convicted of offences under now repealed laws that criminalized consensual same-sex sexual activity.
Jamie Lambert, performance artist and theatre producer
Jamie Lambert, performance artist and theatre producer
Jamie Lambert (Spanish 2012)
Jamie is a performing artist and theatre producer. As a member of the Britain's Got Talent winning group Collabro, he sold 3 million albums worldwide. Last year, he released his debut album What I Was Made For.
His Olivier-nominated theatre company, Lambert Jackson, produces and promotes musical theatre performances and takes an innovative approach to theatre. They recently produced the West End's much-celebrated White Rabbit Red Rabbit, which featured 48 celebrities and actors, each performing one show across the run, having never seen the script before.
Shortly after winning Britain’s Got Talent, Jamie spoke about life in the public eye as a gay man, encouraging others to be open about their own sexuality: “The more that happens, the more normal it becomes. I think nowadays it’s about being comfortable in your own skin and comfortable with who you fall in love with.”
Jamie has written for various publications about being an LGBTQ+ activist, and has worked as a columnist for Gay Times.
Adam Lowe, writer, publisher, producer and LGBTQ+ History Month Poet Laureate
Adam Lowe, writer, publisher, producer and LGBTQ+ History Month Poet Laureate
Adam Lowe (English 2008, MA 2009)
Adam is the UK's LGBTQ+ History Month Poet Laureate and was Yorkshire's Poet for 2012 – selected as part of the 12 Poets of 2012 scheme at the London 2012 Olympics. He has performed around the world and presented at festivals and conferences, as well as returning to Leeds as a visiting lecturer.
A writer, publisher, producer and live artist, Adam often writes about LGBTQ+ experiences in his work, and sits on the management committee for Schools OUT UK, the charity that founded LGBT+ History Month in the UK. Adam also performs drag as Beyonce Holes.
Laura Mackay, Chief Executive Officer at Just Like Us
Laura Mackay, Chief Executive Officer at Just Like Us
Laura Mackay (Theatre 2007)
Laura is Chief Executive Officer at Just Like Us, the UK's leading charity for LGBTQ+ youth. She is a former Assistant Headteacher with a passion for inclusive education.
She taught English and led on equality, diversity and inclusion in schools for over a decade. Prior to moving into the charity sector, Laura was Strategic Lead at a local authority in London. She is a school governor and Teach First ambassador; a rugby player and a soprano.
Just Like Us is the LGBT+ young people’s charity, as Laura explained:
Growing up LGBT+ is still unacceptably tough. Founded in 2016, we work with schools and young people across the UK to change this.
Alongside an Ambassador Programme for young volunteers, the charity equip and support schools to be more LGBT+ inclusive through talks on allyship, an annual School Diversity Week campaign, free educational resources and a student-led Pride Groups programme.
Dr Melz Owusu, academic, activist and founder of The Free Black University
Dr Melz Owusu, academic, activist and founder of The Free Black University
Dr Melz Owusu (Philosophy and Politics 2015, MA 2017)
As a former Leeds University Union Officer, a Black LGBTQ+ academic, an activist, and founder of The Free Black University, Melz played a significant part in the student experience at Leeds during the 2010s.
The Free Black University was an initiative to create a radical, anti-colonial and queer space in which to reimagine – and decolonise – higher education. A mural was unveiled in the Union to champion Melz’s impact on the lives of those living in the local area.
It is with deep sadness that we learnt of Melz's passing in 2025. We understand that Melz died following a road traffic accident while in Bali, Indonesia. Melz had recently celebrated the successful completion of their PhD viva, alongside the publication of their debut book - both significant milestones that marked a bright and promising chapter in their life.
This is an immeasurable loss, and our thoughts are with Melz’s loved ones, friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing them.
Craig Poku, data scientist, Pride in STEM Trustee, baker
Craig Poku, data scientist, Pride in STEM Trustee, baker
Dr Craig Poku (PhD Environmental Sciences 2019)
Data scientist Craig advocates for minorities working in STEM, acting as the role model he never had early in his career. A trustee for Pride in STEM, an organisation that supports LGBTQ+ scientists and engineers around the world, Craig helps to challenge the general public’s perceptions of what scientists should be like, embracing diversity in all its forms.
Craig was also named in the 2024 Attitude Magazine 101 list, which celebrates LGBTQ+ trailblazers.
Craig also has a dedicated social media following @Pokubakes, a thriving sidearm to his career. His baking recipes have featured in Tesco, and he’s appeared as a special guest on TV show The Great British Bake-Off Extra Slice.
Adele Roberts, broadcaster and DJ
Adele Roberts, broadcaster and DJ
Adele Roberts (ND Pharmacology 2000)
Broadcaster and DJ Adele Roberts raised money for Attitude Magazine Foundation, which supports a range of causes across the LGBTQ+ community, when she completed six world major marathons with a stoma in a cumulative world record time in 2024/25.
A proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, in the latest Leeds magazine Adele explained the importance of representing minorities: “I’ve been the odd one out for a lot of my life – the only gay person in my close family or the only mixed-race person in my class.
I understand the power of seeing someone representing you, someone who looks like you.”
Benjamin Roberts, CEO at The British Film Institute
Benjamin Roberts, CEO at The British Film Institute
Benjamin Roberts (English 1997)
As CEO at The British Film Institute (BFI), Benjamin looks after the UK’s largest public film fund.
Ben has been outspoken about queer representation in the film industry and how BFI can help make changes in the industry. After being diagnosed with HIV in 2012, Ben became motivated to be open about his status and act as a positive, visible role model.
Jonta Saragih, activist and Indonesia Program Officer for Outright International
Jonta Saragih, activist and Indonesia Program Officer for Outright International
Jonta Saragih (MA Global Development and Gender 2017)
Jonta has worked for many years as an activist, changing the narrative for LGBTQ+ people in Southeast Asia and his native Indonesia.
He is currently the Indonesia Program Officer for Outright International, a global organization headquartered in New York City aiming to preserve fundamental freedoms and the LGBTQ+ activism in Southeast Asia.
He is experienced in addressing critical issues surrounding human rights and bringing about policy change through media engagement and by building bridges with progressive religious leaders.
He recently led engagement with legal aid organizations to help establish a network of lawyers who identify as members of LGBTIQ+ community. He has been interviewed by a range of media outlets, helping to sensitise many Indonesian journalists to challenges faced by people in the community.
Maya Skelton, Programme Support Officer in the School of Pscyhology
Maya Skelton, Programme Support Officer in the School of Pscyhology
Maya Skelton
Recognised by alumni from the School of Psychology, Programme Support Officer Maya carries out a wealth of work both within and outside of their University role to promote LGBTQ+ rights.
Maya is dedicated to fostering student well-being and creating an inclusive, rewarding academic environment. They carry out talks with staff and students about pronouns, and Maya's office is an open-door safe space for all to use.
Professor Eliza Steinbock, Chair in Transgender Studies, Art and Cultural Activism
Professor Eliza Steinbock, Chair in Transgender Studies, Art and Cultural Activism
Professor Eliza Steinbock (MA Cultural Studies 2004)
As Chair in Transgender Studies, Art and Cultural Activism at Maastricht University, Eliza researches and teaches gender representation in media and culture. Their work considers inclusion and exclusion mechanisms operative in the art, culture, media, and heritage sectors, as well as practices to change inequalities.
Eliza has co-edited and authored four books, five special issues, and published over 45 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters in the field.
Charra Tea, RuPaul's Drag Race UK contestant
Charra Tea, RuPaul's Drag Race UK contestant
Charra Tea
Charra Tea is the stage name of James Martin (Design 2023) a drag performer who placed sixth in the sixth series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. Whilst studying at Leeds, Charra balanced University studies with a thriving drag career.
My top tip is don’t be afraid to be yourself. Just be you and be proud of it.”
Ilias Trispiotis, Professor of Human Rights Law
Ilias Trispiotis, Professor of Human Rights Law
Professor Ilias Trispiotis
A professor of human rights law at the University, Ilias’ research spans the fields of international and European human rights law, equality law and legal theory.
Illias leads a major research project on the legal responses to ‘conversion therapy’. He has advised UK MPs, NGOs and charities working on this area.
Tom Wong, Chief Communications Officer at Mother
Tom Wong, Chief Communications Officer at Mother
Tom Wong (Geography 2003)
Tom’s career in communications started at Leeds University Union, where he was the elected Communications Officer for two years. He has gone on to work in senior roles across a number of businesses, and is currently Chief Communications Officer at Mother, a London-based independent advertising agency looking after clients such as IKEA, Uber, KFC and Marks & Spencer.
Tom is an advocate for representation in the workplace and in leadership positions. He spoke to Campaign Magazine about being the only LGBTQ+ individual in the leadership room:
I thought it was completely normal because that’s all I’ve ever experienced, but it shouldn’t be. Being LGBTQ+ gives you a different point of view. Being a permanent outsider allows you to look at things quite objectively.”
Jay Woolley, Director of Animation Production at Moonbug Entertainment
Jay Woolley, Director of Animation Production at Moonbug Entertainment
Jay Woolley (Physics 1987)
Jay is Director of Animation Production at Moonbug Entertainment – with credits including award-winning series such as 'CoComelon', 'Moominvalley' and 'Shaun the Sheep'.
They are a proud member of the transgender community and take pride in creating stories that give all communities the opportunity to see and celebrate themselves.
During my time at Leeds I met a lot of the people who fundamentally shaped my worldview; one that recognises that as a society, diversity is our strength and to fully play our part in it, we have to live our own truth. I'll be forever grateful to Leeds for that opportunity.”
Peter Workman, translator at the European Parliament and the European Commission
Peter Workman, translator at the European Parliament and the European Commission
Peter Workman (French with Spanish 1983)
Peter is coming to the end of his career as a translator in Luxembourg, where he has worked for both the European Parliament and the European Commission.
Peter speaks openly about his time at Leeds where he was “too shy to ‘come out’”, but since then “made up for lost time” by becoming active in ‘queer’ groups, in particular the EGALITE staff association that serves the needs of LGBTQ+ people working for EU institutions.
He told Leeds magazine in 2024: “Sexuality of any stripe lies at the very heart of what it means to be a human being. Despite all attempts to categorise the various forms that sexuality appears to take (whether heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, transsexual, intersexual or asexual), the ways in which sexuality is experienced and expressed in practice are as many and varied as the countless individuals who walk this Earth.
“To invoke a purely culture-based precept as grounds for denying consenting adults the right to live their sexuality as they wish is to deny them an integral and fundamental part of their identity – yet such denial is still the everyday reality and experience of the LGBTQ+ community in well over half of our planet’s countries.
In a world in which self-realisation is increasingly recognised as a legitimate human aspiration, there can be no place for barriers built essentially on ignorance, prejudice and superstition.”
LGBT+ Staff Network, University of Leeds
LGBT+ Staff Network, University of Leeds
The executive committee for the University of Leeds LGBT+ Staff Network
The University of Leeds LGBT+ Staff Network is run by eight volunteers, who work to provide a safe, welcoming space for LGBTQ+ identifying staff and PhD students at Leeds.
They provide an opportunity to meet, socialise, and benefit from mutual support. They also ensure the views and concerns of members are represented and considered at an organisational level, and that their interests continue to form a part of the University's wider equality and inclusion agenda.
The committee is comprised of Morgan Buswell and Jojie Armitage (Co-Chairs), Robert Butler (Network Secretary), Kerr Hunter (Network Treasurer), Lorraine Topper and Tyler Stead (Events Leads), Sam Osiewalski (Communications Lead), and Jas Brogden (Outreach Lead).