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Stonewall Equality Dinner
Celebrities rubbed shoulders with ministers at Stonewall's Equality Dinner 2010 on Thursday 15 April at London's Dorchester Hotel. The event, supported for the first time by Aviva, raised £366,000 for Stonewall’s campaigning work.
Almost 600 guests – including ministers and celebrities – attended Stonewall’s annual Equality Dinner. The special theme of the night was homophobia in sport and the need for more openly gay sportspeople as role models. Tennis champion Martina Navratilova talked about being one of the only openly lesbians in sport for many years. Rugby player Gareth Thomas offered the different perspective of having just come out, and encouraged other sportspeople to do so.
Martina Navratilova said: ‘When I first came out in 1981, it was pretty lonely out there. Coming out was not considered a wise business decision. I think the phrase I heard was “career suicide.” I’m told I lost millions in sponsorship, but in my heart I know I gained things of much greater value—the opportunity to live my life with integrity and the knowledge that others might have come out because of my example. We need organisations like Stonewall. And they need your support. It’s incredible what they’ve achieved.’
The dinner was hosted by Amy Lamé and the celebrity auctioneer for the night was Christopher Biggins. A DJ set at the end of the night was played by Jodie Harsh. Guests included Sarah Waters, Sir Ian McKellen, Harriet Harman MP, Nick Herbert MP and other MPs, peers and ministers.
Auctioned at the Dinner were a range of lots including meet and greet experience days with Kevin Spacey, Sue Perkins, Christopher Biggins and Antony Cotton; a dinner cooked for you and 10 guests in your own home by Clarissa Dickson Wright; a unique Maggi Hambling painting and other once in a lifetime experiences. Martina Navratilova donated an impromptu auction lot on the night – two exclusive centre court tickets for Wimbledon, accompanied by Martina herself.
All funds raised will go towards Stonewall campaigns such as Education for All, tackling homophobic bullying in Britain’s schools.
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