Schools Out campaigner Sue Sanders honoured for a lifetime of work
Sue Sanders, one of the co-founders of LGBT education group Schools Out, has been honoured with an award recognising her lifetime of campaigning.
She was presented with the Campaign for Homsexuality Equality/Derek Oyston Award at a celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association.
Sanders was presented with the award by veteran campaigner and CHE vice-president Ray Gosling.
She said: “I want to pay tribute to everyone who’s been involved in Schools Out over the years. Without their work, we wouldn’t be the successful organisation we are today. In particular, this award should equally have gone to Paul Patrick, our other co-founder, who sadly died last year.
“When I helped set up the London Gay Teachers’ Group in 1974, I never dreamt it would be so successful, or that I’d still be chairing”
She also paid tribute to GALHA for its work.
Speakers at the evening included human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell and openly gay MEP Michael Cashman.
Cashman commented: “Why are we still fighting for gay and lesbian rights in 2009, and why will we still be doing it in 2029? It is because hatred never goes away. It merely shifts its focus.”
Tatchell praised GALHA as “a voice of reason and evidence-based thought” in the face of bigotry and fundamentalism, but added: “Religious fundamentalism is now the single biggest threat to women’s rights and LGBT rights around the world”.
