The Official Top 10 LGBT+ Speakers To Hire For Diversity & Inclusion Events In 2024
One of the most important factors of diversity and inclusion is ensuring that people are supported and accepted in society no matter how they choose to identify. Throughout history, the LGBT+ community has been marginalised, facing discrimination in everything from healthcare to the workplace. Throughout society, passionate LGBT+ advocates have participated in peaceful protests, marches and celebratory events to ensure the discrimination that the LGBT+ community faces is abolished.
What Does LGBT Stand For?
LGBT stands for:
- Lesbian
- Gay
- Bisexual
- Transgender
The initialism has been expanded to LGBTQIA+, which stands for:
- Lesbian
- Gay
- Bisexual
- Transgender
- Queer/Questioning
- Intersex
- Asexual
- Plus Other Identifications
Source: LGBTQIA Resource Center
When Did The Term LGBT+ Originate?
The term LGBT has been in use since the 1990s, functioning as an umbrella term to express sexuality and gender identity. The first widely used term to describe the LGBT+ community was homosexual, which today is used primarily in a scientific context. In the 1970s, gay was the most popular term used to describe the community, before being replaced by the positive symbol of inclusion – LGBT+. Now, people commonly use LGBTQ+ as a more inclusive way to describe the community, as it includes asexual and intersex people.
Source: Wikipedia
What Are Important LGBT+ Awareness Events?
- LGBT+ History Month – February
- International Transgender Day Of Visibility – March 31st
- Lesbian Visibility Day – April 26th
- International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia – May 17th
- Pansexual and Panromantic Visibility Day – May 24th
- Pride Month – June
- Stonewall Riots Anniversary – June 28th
- International Non-Binary People’s Day – July 14th
- National Coming Out Day – October 11th
- International Transgender Day Of Remembrance – November 20th
- Pansexual/ Panromantic Pride Day – December 8th
Source: University of Nebraska-Lincoln
How Can I Celebrate LGBT+ Events?
A fantastic way to show your support of the LGBT+ community is to organise awareness days that promote acceptance and the abolishment of discrimination and hate. A great addition to awareness days is a leading LGBT+ speaker, who can share their personal experiences to add an authentic and emotive touch to awareness events of all kinds. Take a look at our selection of the official top 10 LGBT+ speakers to hire for events in 2024 below:
- Matt Lindley
- Charlie Martin
- Jonathan Lovitz
- Nicola Adams
- Geffrye Parsons
- Laila El Metoui
- Mark Foster
- Gina Battye
- Jake & Hannah Graf
- Kate Richardson-Walsh
Book a Leading LGBT+ Speaker Today!
Matt Lindley
Matt Lindley has enjoyed a successful career in the aviation industry and military, having formerly worked as an RAF Royal Squadron Pilot, as well as a pilot for The Royal Family and the Prime Minister of the UK. During Matt’s time in the RAF, it was frowned upon to be gay, and Matt became known as one of the first openly gay pilots. Now the CEO of Propel Performance, Matt is also sought after as a passionate and powerful speaker, who highlights the importance of representation and freedom of expression for the LGBT+ community.
When booked as an LGBT+ speaker, Matt shares his story of how he positively impacted the culture of the RAF and orchestrated major culture change to ensure that the RAF was accepting of all recruits no matter how they identified. If you are looking for a speaker who is an expert on LGBT+ representation, look no further than Matt Lindley.
“I cannot recommend Matt highly enough. He talked to the Close Brothers community about his journey and it resonated incredibly well with all colleagues, not just those from the LGBTQ community. His candour and honesty really connected with people, and the ties with wider mental wellness and resilience were incredibly topical given the current pandemic. His humour shone through and it was one of the best received external speakers we have had to date. A thorough recommendation.” – Martyn, Chief Operating Officer, Atkinson Group
Charlie Martin
Throughout her career, Charlie Martin has broken records and glass ceilings. Famed as the first professional transgender motorsports racer, Charlie has a truly inspirational story to tell. Sharing her passion for the importance of inclusion and her story of the stigma she has faced as a transgender woman, Charlie is now booked as a powerful LGBT+ speaker. Having competed in the Ginetta GT5 Challenge, the German VLN Championship, the Michelin Le Mans Cup and the Hillclimb Leaders Championship, Charlie has marked her prominence as a talented motorsport racer and encouraged inclusion in the sport.
Championing transgender and LGBT+ representation in sports, Charlie is a trailblazer for diversity and inclusion. Now booked as a leading LGBT+ speaker, Charlie encourages people to not just see her as a transgender woman, but as a top motorsport racer. Advocating the importance of acceptance, Charlie speaks on the courage and bravery she had to show to battle LGBT+ stigma throughout her career.
“We really appreciate the time she took out of her day to come to speak to our Axon employee base. We had an incredible showing for today’s event, and we’ve received amazing feedback on how fantastic, enlightening and impactful her talk was. I personally am in awe of Charlie and find her so inspiring. Thanks so much for your partnership in putting this event together, and we look forward to future opportunities to partner as well!” – Lara, Director of Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, Axon
Jonathan Lovitz
Award-winning LGBT+ advocate, Jonathan Lovitz is the Senior Vice President of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce, and he is fighting to support minority-owned businesses. Empowering economic growth and opportunities for companies owned by the LGBT+ community, Jonathan is dedicated to changing the attitude of consumers and creating a more progressive society. Having also formerly worked as the Director of StartOut and stood as a Candidate for PA House of Representatives District 182 for the Philadelphia Democratic Party, it comes without surprise that this influential thought leader was named Advocate Magazine’s 2019 Queer Icon.
Having had a defining impact on the LGBT+ community, Jonathan is now booked as a preeminent LGBT+ speaker who campaigns for inclusion and equality, Named on the Business Equality Magazine’s 40 LGBTQ Leader Under 40, do not miss out on an inspirational speech from the powerful LGBT+ speaker, Jonathan Lovitz.
Nicola Adams
One of the most famous British Olympians, Nicola Adams broke glass ceilings time and time again during her illustrious career. At the London 2012 Olympic Games, Nicola earned her name in the history books when she became the first woman to win an Olympic boxing medal after she claimed Gold in the Flyweight category. Since then, Nicola has made it her mission to passionately advocate for representation, having also competed in the first same-sex couple on Strictly Come Dancing back in 2020.
Appointed MBE for her Services to Boxing, Nicola was also named No.1 on The Independent’s 101 Most Influential LGBT People in Britain in 2012 and No.1 on the DIVA Power List of the Most Eminent Lesbian and Bisexual Women in 2016. Openly gay herself, Nicola has recently made headlines as she welcomed her first child with her girlfriend Ella Baig. Now booked as an LGBT speaker, Nicola spreads the importance of representation and shares her personal experience of discrimination and how she dealt with hateful messages online.
“Fantastic! Nicola was open, honest and inspiring. It went amazingly well and we can’t wait to have her back.” – Macquarie Group Services
Geffrye Parsons
With his expertise in LGBT+ inclusion and intersectionality, Geffrye Parsons is driven by inclusion and the power it has in organisational learning and business outcomes. Founder and CEO of The Inclusion Imperative, Geffrye has advanced workplace LGBT+ inclusion in leaps and bounds. With his endeavours for LGBT+ inclusion recognised with the LGBT+ Inspirational Leader Award at the British LGBT Awards and the Business Role Model Award at the PinkNews Awards twice, it is without a doubt that Geffrye is a powerful LGBT+ speaker.
Having forged a successful career working in financial services for Macquarie, Geffrye is famed for elevating Macquarie to No.1 on the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index for 2022. Also a Trustee of GiveOut and Diversity Role Models, Geffrye is passionately committed to harnessing the power of inclusion in the workplace and society as a whole. When looking for a prominent speaker with expertise on diversity, equity, inclusion, intersectionality, workplace culture and psychological safety, hire passionate LGBT speaker Geffrye Parsons today.
“The visibility with which Geff put LGBT+ equality on the agenda in the otherwise conservative and often difficult to change world of banking is inspiring. In the process, Geff is changing the banking industry and the city as a whole. The impact of Geff’s visibility and actions is not just for a day or a month but will be felt for years to come. In my experience, a lot of people find it easy to pay lip-service – Geff is one of the very few who takes action.” – Krishna, Corporate Lawyer & Stonewall Role Model of the Year 2018
Laila El-Metoui
An award-winning equity educator, Laila El-Metoui is famed for the three decades she has spent pioneering acceptance, inclusion and equity for marginalised groups. Named the Stonewall Lesbian Role Model of the Year in 2020, Laila has stamped her mark in the race for an equal society, and also founded Pride In Education and Educating OUT Racism. Dedicated to eradicating discrimination, Laila has also formerly worked as the Director of Adult Education for LGBT History Month and the LGBT+ Staff Forum Co-Chair for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Honoured with recognition on the Guardian Pride Power List in 2021, Laila is an LGBT+ speaker not to be missed!
Hired to speak as a passionate LGBT+ speaker, Laila drives home the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion across all marginalised groups of society. When booked as a speaker, Laila is renowned for her expertise on LGBTQ+ language and inclusion, micro-aggressions, unconscious bias and allyship. Running workshops on how to foster belonging in the workplace, hire Laila El-Metoui to ensure that inclusion and equality in championed in your workplace.
“What an absolute powerhouse of equality! The Pride in Education conference was an epic journey through how to make your education practice more inclusive… I came away from her webinar with SO many tools and techniques I am able to put into practice while lecturing. I thoroughly recommend any teacher, lecturer, trainer or zoom user to go to it. Laila is committed, passionate and unbelievably experienced in the inclusion and diversity sector. I would be happy to recommend her to anyone.” – Sara Kedge MBA
Mark Foster
At just 15 years old Mark Foster was the fastest swimmer in the country. Little did he know that he would go on to become one of the most illustrious British swimmers, who claimed 51 international medals and broke eight world records with his incredible talent for the butterfly and freestyle over 50m. Throughout his career, Mark battled with his sexuality, hiding his true identity until 2017 when he came out as gay. Since coming out, Mark has become a voice for the LGBT+ community, championing diversity, inclusion and equality.
An avid fundraiser and charity supporter, Mark dedicates time to supporting organisations such as Stonewall and the Terrence Higgins Trust. Now booked as an influential LGBT+ speaker, Mark shares his personal story of coming out and the discrimination he feared he would receive in sports due to his sexuality. Proving the importance of inclusion and representation, do not miss an inspirational speech from champion swimmer Mark Foster.
“Mark was a speaker at Leicester Tigers for a game that we played against London Welsh. With over 300 people in the room, Mark used different techniques to keep everyone engaged and interested in what he was saying. With mostly business men and sports fans in the room Mark was able to conduct himself in a manner that suited both parties and children. Mark’s experience in life after sport was extremely interesting and our 1st team players took this in as something they need to start thinking about as well. The interactivity that Mark had with our guests was exceptional and spent over an hour signing autographs and having photos and it was a pleasure to host him and have him as our guest speaker.” – Emily, Leicester Tigers
Gina Battye
A renowned LGBT+ consultant, Gina Battye specialises in transgender, non-binary and LGBT+ inclusion. Empowering people to bring their whole selves to work, no matter how they wish to identify, Gina is renowned for her ground-breaking ‘5 Pillars of Psychological Safety’ ideology. Featured on Sky News and BBC Radio and in Cosmopolitan and Forbes, Gina is famed for empowering people to feel safe to speak out. Cultivating an environment in which individuals and teams feel safe, Gina provided training to create fully inclusive workplaces. Having formerly worked with companies such as AstraZeneca and Lloyds Banking Group, Gina is a preeminent authority on LGBT+ inclusion.
Creating breakthroughs globally for LGBT+ employees, Gina is hired to deliver her world-class training to transform professional lives. Electrifying audiences with a passion for LGBT+ inclusion and representation, Gina is committed to abolishing discrimination against the LGBT+ community. When looking for an expert speaker who will transform workplace culture, hire Gina Battye today.
“Gina was a guest speaker at an event with AstraZeneca. Gina delivered an interactive conversation on the topic of bringing your whole self to work and LGBT inclusion. The feedback was extremely positive and I would highly recommend working with Gina on any corporate event relating to inclusion, diversity and LGBT topics.” – AstraZeneca
Jake & Hannah Graf
Redefining perceptions, Jake and Hannah Graf are a transgender couple who have used their prominence as a platform for LGBT+ acceptance and awareness. Captain Hannah Graf is a revered Officer of the British Army, who transitioned during her service and became one of the highest-ranked transgender soldiers in the Army. Appointed MBE, Hannah also took on the position of the Army’s Transgender Representative, a role in which she offered support and guidance on inclusivity and policies on transitioning in the force.
Jake is a highly accomplished actor, writer and director, who is recognised for his roles in The Danish Girl, Butterfly and Colette. In recognition of his advocacy for the LGBT+ community, Jake has been recognised on The Independent’s Pride Power List and The Guardian’s LGBT Power List. Together, Jake & Hannah are booked to share their journeys of transitioning, and the discrimination they have faced in their careers. Having recently made headlines after they welcomed their daughter to the world, Jake & Hannah are true role models to the transgender community, demonstrating the importance of equality.
“We recently booked Jake and Hannah to speak as our keynote address at a large-scale InterComms LGBT+ Network event and we can safely say they were an incredible opener to our panel discussion ‘Why just the G in LGBT? Let’s start with the LBT’. Their story was personal, inspiring, touching and delivered with aplomb to an extremely engaged audience. They also got involved with the panel debate afterwards, delivering well-thought out and balanced answers to our attendees’ questions. Jake and Hannah are consummate professionals, and incredible ambassadors for the Trans and LGBT+ communities.” – Ethan, Chair, InterComms LGBT Network
Kate Richardson-Walsh
A highly successful athlete, Kate Richardson-Walsh is famed as the former Team Captain of the Great Britain and England hockey teams. Named Great Britain’s Hockey Athlete of the Year and Hockey Writers Club UK Player of the Year, Kate solidified her name in the history books as part of the team that claimed Gold at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Joined by her wife, Helen Richardson-Walsh, on the England hockey team, Kate also became part of the first same-sex married couple to win Olympic medals.
Passionate about increasing awareness of the LGBT+ community, Kate has never let adversity stop her from campaigning for what she is passionate about. Also, part of the first same-sex couple to be listed on the Queen’s honours list together, Kate is a true role model for the LGBT+ community. Campaigning for representation, diversity and inclusion in sports, don’t miss an inspirational speech from LGBT+ speaker Kate Richardson-Walsh.
“Please could you pass on our huge thanks and a lot of love from our U80 for Kate? The session was more than we could have hoped, perfectly balanced and pitched and really authentic and engaging. We really couldn’t have hoped for anything better. Thank you for the honesty and openness.” – Emma, Mars Petcare
Get In Touch To Hire an LGBT+ Speaker
If you are interested in hiring an LGBT+ speaker for your next event, don’t hesitate to contact the Diversity & Inclusion Speakers Agency today! Get in touch by calling 0203 9816 297 or by completing our online contact form.
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