13/10/2020
Twenty five years ago, when our own Terry first reported on gay politics for a small pirate radio station in Wales, the idea of members of our community being allowed into the hallowed halls of our British establishment would have seemed very unlikely. LGBTQ people and groups were still marginal. Now, a quarter of a century on, everything has changed, and in the 2020 Queens Birthday Honours List, which was deferred because of coronavirus, we are delighted to see that Bristol's own Daryn Carter, a driving force behind Pride in the City for the last decade, has been made an MBE. That is, he is a Member of the British Empire. The BBC Radio Bristol news team take up the story, reporting that Daryn was due to have stepped down from Pride this year but has been persuaded to stay on to help steer the group through what was described as the challenging times of Covid19. Daryn, who is a dear friend to the “ShoutOut” LGBTQ show and to gay and trans media generally, said "I'm overwhelmed. It is really important for our community and for our work within the LGBT community that it is visible and seen." The BBC News Channel summarised that these honours particularly take into consideration the challenges of organisations who are working through the Coronavirus challenges. Community leaders, campaigners and fundraisers have all been particularly honoured this time round in what has been dubbed “the people's honours list”. We offer our congratulations to Daryn and thank him for all his work with Pride over the years. Not everyone within the community is a fan of the British honours system. Gay human rights advocate Peter Tatchell is said to have quietly turned down an honour around fifteen years ago, and instead advocates for replacement of the monarchical system. He is joined by many on the radical left and anarchist wings of the LGBTQ movement. Whether to accept an honour or not depends on your personal politics and point of view.
