Stonewall co-founder hopes to learn about Jersey issues during visit

Monday 29 August 2022

A former actor, politician and now LGBTQ+ activist says he is looking forward to learning "more about the island and the issues it faces" when he visits the island next month.

Lord Michael Cashman, who is the keynote speaker in Liberate's 'Power and Equality Conference' taking place on 9 September as part of Channel Islands Pride Week, enjoyed a successful career as an actor, singer, writer and director before entering politics.

A long-standing gay rights activist, he was also co-founder and first chairman of the LGBTQ+ rights charity Stonewall.

Next month's conference by Liberate will include talks, debates and discussions aims to bring people together in aid of raising awareness to the pertinent issues affecting the Island that often fall disproportionately on minority communities.

The conference offers an opportunity to hear from a diverse collection of voices, including States members, business leaders, ED&I champions, Government employees and charities. Crucially, the spotlight will extend to local individuals with lived experiences of being from a minority group in Jersey.

Lord Cashman's keynote speech will focus on removing toxicity from divisive social debates and responding with empathy in order to build healthy, inclusive democracies. As well as delivering a speech, Lord Cashman said he wanted to learn about Jersey too.

“Being Liberate's patron I want to learn more about the island and the issues it faces currently, so I can support the charity in its work. The conference is the perfect opportunity for me to find out more,” Lord Cashman commented.

Liberate CEO Vic Tanner Davy said he was "excited" to hear Lord Cashman's speech, adding: "As the Labour spokesman on human rights in the European Parliament between 1999 and 2014, and now a life peer, he is used to debating difficult, controversial and often deeply personal issues.

"A lifelong campaigner for LGBTQ+ rights, Michael believes firmly that working together, cross-party and in coalition is the most effective way to make change for those groups that lack essential rights."

Pictured top: Lord Cashman. (Nikki Powell)