It's been a fine year for our female athletes at the Olympic
games; and it's been a finer year for women in the LGBT community,
as Nicola Adams and Clare Balding take the top two positions in the
Independent on Sunday's annual Pink list.
After an extremely successful year for the 30-year-old Olympic
bisexual boxer from Leeds, Nicola Adams told the newspaper, "It's
amazing to be on the list of such inspiring and influential
people", and thanked everyone for their continued support.
Lesbian teacher Elly Barnes who topped the list last year
described the honour as a "wake-up call to move to be a full-time
LGBT advocate". Barnes, who claims she was oblivious to the impact
her work was having prior to her top ranking on the list, is now an
LGBT schools adviser in London and Birmingham.
Adams' love for boxing drove her to persevere for over ten years
despite the sport's male bias. She impressed both her fan base and
those who were critical of female boxing as she took the gold medal
from it's previous holder; China's 'Ren Cancan'. What's more her
positive, friendly nature has already begun to inspire young people
around the world.
Not only have the gay and bisexual women featured on the list
demonstrated their considerable influence, but also the diversity
of this year's list is a great achievement. In the top 10 alone
there are sportspeople, a TV and radio presenter, two LGBT rights
campaigners, an actress, a reality TV show winner and two
politicians.
Well done then to all the women featured in this year's list; well
done to all 101 people who were chosen; and well done to all those
people, who perhaps weren't featured on the list, but continue to
give their time to make the LGBT community a safer, friendlier and
altogether better place.
The final word goes to the Independent on Sunday's Katy Guest
who told DIVA:
"The best response I got yesterday was a friend who texted me: 'My
10 year-old daughter is very excited to see her heroine, Nicola
Adams, on the Pink List.' Best response the year Gareth Thomas was
number one was: 'Thanks for making it OK for me to come out to my
dad.' If those were the only two positive responses we got (which
they're not, by a long way) it would still be worth doing the Pink
List."
The full list can be found
here
