Lisa Power

Last updated

Lisa Power
Lisa-power-spreadeagle.jpg
Born1954  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Occupation LGBT rights activist   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Awards

Lisa Power MBE is a British sexual health and LGBT rights campaigner. She was a volunteer for Lesbian & Gay Switchboard [1] and Secretary General of the International Lesbian and Gay Association. [2] She co-founded the Pink Paper and Stonewall, [3] later becoming Policy Director at the Terrence Higgins Trust. [2] She was the first openly LGBT person to speak at the United Nations [4] and continues to work and volunteer as an LGBT+ and sexual health activist in Wales with groups such as Fast Track Cymru [5] and Pride Cymru.

Contents

Early life

Power was born in 1954. [6] She came out as lesbian in the 1970s in a time when homosexuality was still controversial in British society. [7] She volunteered at the Lesbian & Gay Switchboard in London. [8] At the switchboard, she started to take calls about a mystery illness which became known as GRID (Gay-Related Immune Deficiency) and later HIV/AIDS. She was an early worker on the National AIDS Helpline and worked for Hackney Local Authority as HIV policy officer. [9]

Career

Power became Secretary-General of the International Lesbian and Gay Association (now the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association) in 1988 after helping to set up the Pink Paper . [8] [10] She co-founded Stonewall in 1989 in direct response to Section 28 and subsequently was the policy director of the Terrence Higgins Trust. [8]

In 1991, Power was the first openly LGBT person to speak about gay rights at the United Nations in New York. [7] [11] She was subsequently sainted by the Order of Perpetual Indulgence as St Lisa Potestatis for her services to queer life and her saint's day is New Year's Eve. She was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2011 New Year Honours, "for services to sexual health and to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community" [12] and was named on the 2022 Pinc List as that year's most influential LGBT figure in Wales. [13]

In 2020, she collaborated with National Museum Cardiff and curator Dan Vo on a program called "Queer Tours", which aimed to uncover hidden LGBTQ histories in Cardiff. [14] [15] She was for several years the Organiser for LGBT History Month at Pride Cymru and Chair of the HIV Justice Network. She was Historical Consultant for the ground breaking Russell T Davies Channel 4 series "It's A Sin", has appeared in a number of HIV and LGBT modern history programmes and is a Founding Trustee of the Queer Britain museum. [10] [14] On International Women's Day 2020, Power commented "Women are raised with an inner voice of self doubt; tell yours to shut up and let you have a go". [16]

Selected works

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT community</span> Community and culture of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people

The LGBT community is a loosely defined grouping of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals united by a common culture and social movements. These communities generally celebrate pride, diversity, individuality, and sexuality. LGBT activists and sociologists see LGBT community-building as a counterweight to heterosexism, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, sexualism, and conformist pressures that exist in the larger society. The term pride or sometimes gay pride expresses the LGBT community's identity and collective strength; pride parades provide both a prime example of the use and a demonstration of the general meaning of the term. The LGBT community is diverse in political affiliation. Not all people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender consider themselves part of the LGBT community.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stonewall (charity)</span> UK-based charity and advocacy group for LGBT rights

Stonewall Equality Limited, trading as Stonewall, is a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights charity in the United Kingdom. It is the largest LGBT rights organisation in Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gay Liberation Front</span> Gay liberation groups in major US, UK, and Canadian cities during the 1960s-70s

Gay Liberation Front (GLF) was the name of several gay liberation groups, the first of which was formed in New York City in 1969, immediately after the Stonewall riots. Similar organizations also formed in the UK, Australia and Canada. The GLF provided a voice for the newly-out and newly radicalized gay community, and a meeting place for a number of activists who would go on to form other groups, such as the Gay Activists Alliance, Gay Youth New York, and Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) in the US. In the UK and Canada, activists also developed a platform for gay liberation and demonstrated for gay rights. Activists from both the US and UK groups would later go on to found or be active in groups including ACT UP, the Lesbian Avengers, Queer Nation, Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, and Stonewall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Campaign for Homosexual Equality</span>

The Campaign for Homosexual Equality (CHE) was a membership organisation in the United Kingdom with a stated aim from 1969 to promote legal and social equality for lesbians, gay men and bisexuals in England and Wales. Active throughout the 1970s – and becoming a mass-membership organisation during this time – CHE's membership declined in the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gareth Thomas (rugby)</span> Wales dual-code international rugby player

Gareth Thomas is a Welsh former professional rugby union and rugby league player, who represented Wales in both codes. Nicknamed "Alfie", he was the first Wales rugby union player to play in 100 test matches, and is currently the sixth-most capped Wales player. He is 15th among international try scorers, and is the third-highest Wales try scorer. He also won four rugby league caps for Wales, scoring three tries.

CHAPS is a partnership of UK gay men's health promotion organisations. It is currently funded to operate in England and Wales by the Department of Health and is administered by Terrence Higgins Trust.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Switchboard (UK)</span> Telephone support line for LGBT+ people in the UK and, subsequently, for information about HIV/AIDS

Switchboard is the second-oldest LGBT+ telephone helpline in the United Kingdom, launched the day after Edinburgh Befrienders.

This is a list of notable events in the history of LGBT rights that took place in the 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Men who have sex with men blood donor controversy in the United Kingdom</span> Gay male blood donation policy

The MSM blood donor controversy in the United Kingdom refers to the former deferral policy of men who have had sex with men (MSM) in the United Kingdom who wish to donate their blood to UK blood donation services. Since June 2021, there is no deferral period in all four home nations. This followed an announcement in December 2020 that blood donation policies specific to MSM would be scrapped in favour of personalised risk assessment based on sexual behaviour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National LGBTQ Task Force</span> US gay rights organization

The National LGBTQ Task Force is an American social justice advocacy non-profit organizing the grassroots power of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community. Also known as The Task Force, the organization supports action and activism on behalf of LGBTQ people and advances a progressive vision of liberation. The past executive director was Rea Carey from 2008-2021 and the current executive director is Kierra Johnson, who took over the position in 2021 to become the first Black woman to head the organization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruth Hunt, Baroness Hunt of Bethnal Green</span> Welsh administrator and former Chief Executive of Stonewall

Ruth Elizabeth Hunt, Baroness Hunt of Bethnal Green is a Welsh administrator who was Chief Executive of UK-based lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans equality charity Stonewall, the largest LGBT equality body in Europe, from 2014 until her resignation in 2019.

The LGBT community in London is one of the largest within Europe. LGBT culture of London, England, is centred on Old Compton Street in Soho. There are also LGBT pubs and restaurants across London in Haggerston, Dalston and Vauxhall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT+ Liberal Democrats</span>

LGBT+ Liberal Democrats is a British lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and other sexual minorities equality group of the Liberal Democrats political party. The organisation is one of several Specified Associated Organisations, giving it special status within the party, and has been referred to as one of the "most important" of such groups. The group campaigns both within the party and UK-wide on LGBT+ issues, as well as mentoring and providing advice to the party's candidates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pride Cymru</span> Gay pride event in Cardiff, Wales

Pride Cymru is an LGBT pride festival held annually in Cardiff, Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berwyn Rowlands</span> Welsh producer

John Berwyn Rowlands is a Welsh creative producer who founded and continues to lead the Iris Prize LGBT+ Film Festival. Previously he was chief executive of Sgrîn, Media Agency of Wales from 1997 to 2006 and director of the Welsh International Film Festival from 1989 to 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norena Shopland</span> Welsh heritage and LGBTQ+ historian

Norena Shopland is a Welsh historian and writer who specialises in (LGBTQ+) research and history. She has been highlighted as a Welsh LGBTQ+ person of significance, and she gives talks, lectures and workshops on Welsh heritage and LGBT+ history. She has organised, curated and consulted on exhibitions and events within the heritage sector in Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shash Appan</span> Welsh LGBT+ and anti-racist activist

Shash Appan is a Welsh LGBT+ and anti-racist activist. A co-founder of Trans Aid Cymru, she also serves as a director of the Trans Safety Network. She has also advocated for tenant rights, co-founding a website for tenants in Cardiff to anonymously rate their landlords.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT culture in Cardiff</span>

The LGBT community in Cardiff is the largest in Wales. The 2021 census found that 5.33% of people aged 16 and over identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or other. It has also been ranked as the 8th most accepting city in the world for the LGBT community.

References

  1. ↑ "Switchboard: Homophobia, HIV and hoax calls". BBC News. 4 March 2019. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Lisa Power MBE". Cumberland Lodge. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  3. ↑ "Terrence Higgins Trust's Lisa Power awarded MBE". Pink News. 9 February 2011. Archived from the original on 3 August 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  4. ↑ "Pink List 2008". Independent. 21 June 2008. Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  5. ↑ "The Team". Fast Track Cardiff. 11 October 2020. Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  6. ↑ "The Discovery Service". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. The National Archives. Archived from the original on 16 June 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  7. 1 2 Pollock, India (15 March 2019). "'Huge distance' travelled on LGBT attitudes". BBC News. Archived from the original on 9 April 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 "Terrence Higgins Trust's Lisa Power awarded MBE". PinkNews . 9 February 2011. Archived from the original on 3 August 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
  9. ↑ Warriner, Colin (29 June 2011). "Being honest about HIV: Lisa Power, policy head at Terrence Higgins Trust". So So Gay. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014.
  10. 1 2 Power, Lisa (26 April 2019). "In 1989, I could legally be fired for being a lesbian. Now, 30 years after I co-founded Stonewall, we're more visible than ever". inews.co.uk. Archived from the original on 8 July 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  11. ↑ "Speakers". www.ilga-europe.org. ILGA-Europe. Archived from the original on 13 May 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  12. ↑ "No. 59647". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 31 December 2010. p. 21.
  13. ↑ "Pinc List 2022: Wales' most influential LGBT+ people". 20 August 2022.
  14. 1 2 "Wales' first Queer Tours – "Re-interpreting" art like a gay man". InterCardiff. 5 March 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  15. ↑ "Tours to reveal museum's LGBT stories". BBC News. 15 March 2020. Archived from the original on 16 March 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  16. ↑ Stephens, Lydia (8 March 2020). "International Women's Day- 'what I wish I knew when I was younger'". Wales Online. Archived from the original on 9 March 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.