A Celebration of Black and Asian UK LGBTQ+ Activists

Celebrating the voices of Black & Asian LGBTQ+ activists

A month is never long enough to celebrate the achievements of those Black & Asian LGBTQ+ activists who have helped to advocate for fairness & justice for LGBTQ+ Rights in the UK.

Their voices & achievements should not be hidden, but acknowledged & celebrated each day:

Shakti Khabar

In 1989 members of the LBTQ+ community from South Asian descent established Shakti Khabar, a newsletter which was a beacon for activism, helping to raise awareness of their fight against discrimination in both the South Asian Community and wider UK society.

Pratibha Parmar

A filmmaker, director, and writer, Pratibha Parmar has been a trailblazer in representing South Asian LGBTQ+ experiences. Her work, including the documentary “Kush,” has highlighted the lives and struggles of LGBTQ+ South Asians in the UK and beyond.

Asifa Lahore

Britain’s first out Muslim drag queen; Asifa Lahore has been a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights within the South Asian and Muslim communities. Her work challenges stereotypes and promotes acceptance and understanding.

Lady Phyll (Phyll Opoku-Gyimah)

Co-founder and Executive Director of UK Black Pride, Lady Phyll has been a formidable voice in the fight for equality for queer people of colour. Her work has been instrumental in creating spaces for Black LGBTQ+ individuals to celebrate their identities and advocate for their rights. In the autumn of 2024, Lady Phyll became a new Pro Chancellor at the University of Northampton, on becoming a Pro Chancellor, she stated,

This isn’t just my achievement; it belongs to everyone who has dared to dream, to fight, and to believe in a more deliberate way we can live in this world.

Marc Thompson

A long-time HIV activist, Marc Thompson co-founded Prepster, an organization that promotes HIV prevention and education. He has been a vocal advocate for the health and well-being of Black LGBTQ+ communities in the UK.

Travis Alabanza

A non-binary performance artist and writer, Travis Alabanza uses their platform to address issues of race, gender, and sexuality. Their work has been influential in raising awareness about the experiences of Black trans and non-binary individuals.

It is unfortunate that I can only highlight here a few activists, but I hope that from mentioning a few, it will open the door to your own journey of self-discovery of the rich history of activism that has helped to shape the rights of the Black & Asian LGBTQ+ community here in the UK.

Evelyn Livingstone

Evelyn Livingstone is a Marketing and Social Media Assistant in the Marketing Team at UON; she is a lover of life & new adventures, who especially enjoys spending time with family and friends, going to live music festivals & gigs, and travelling the globe.