Pride Month is in full swing, showcasing a dazzling array of events that celebrate the most inspiring and influential figures in the LGBTQIA+ community. The 2025 Rainbow Honours, an annual event in London that acknowledges those who have made significant contributions to LGBTQIA+ equality and inclusion, is among the highlights.
On Friday (June 28), ‘Married at First Sight’ sensation Ella Morgan was celebrated as Campaigner or Influencer of the Year. As a transgender woman, Ella has been vocal in her advocacy for trans rights, facing increasing challenges in recent times.
“My mental health has not been the best since the ruling,” the reality TV star confided. “I think I just really struggled with being labelled or identified as legally a man.”
The UK Supreme Court’s decision on April 16 determined that the legal definition of “woman” in the Equality Act 2010 is based on biological sex, which does not include transgender women. “You know, people call me man and tranny and he all the time online, and it’s just a word and it means nothing to me,” Ella expressed.
She went on to say: “So it didn’t affect me, but now, because it’s legally recognised, it is painful and it’s sad, and it’s like I’ve gone through all of this stuff and I’ve still been penalised, and discriminated against.”
“But this time, people justify their anger and their hatred with this ruling; it’s like it’s given some people an excuse to justify their hatred because it’s a ruling made by the government.” Ella, who made history as the first transgender person to grace both MAFS in 2023 and Celebs Go Dating in the subsequent year, has opened up about receiving ‘more hate than ever’ this year, reports the Mirror. Speaking out about her experience, she said: “People are like, ‘yeah, but you are a man, you know, legally, you are’.
“What am I meant to say to that? And how am I meant to deal with that?” Adding his voice to the conversation is Jake Graf, hailed as Britain’s most distinguished transgender father, who underscores Ella’s sentiments following the Supreme Court’s decision.
While attending the Rainbow Honours event, he revealed: “I’m a trans man, married to a trans woman, and we have two daughters, three and five years old, and I fear for my wife every time she leaves the house now.” Jake’s spouse, Hannah, who is well-known for being the highest-ranking trans officer in the British Army until her departure in 2018 to raise a family, along with Jake became the UK’s inaugural transgender parents.
“Every time she goes into a public toilet, my wife is scared about taking our two little daughters into the toilet or into the changing room when she takes them to their swimming lessons, and that should not be happening,” he added. “So it’s severely affected our lives and our mental health.”
He explains: “I take our daughters to the toilet a lot more than my wife does anymore because she’s worried about someone attacking her in front of our kids, which is terrible.” Jake remains optimistic despite a surge in transphobic attitudes, drawing inspiration from today’s youth.
“The younger generation is more and more diverse and more fluid than we ever imagined,” he states. “There are more trans people out there than I think we ever knew, and I think once we get over this terrible blip in our history, we’ll realise that more and more trans people are going to keep coming out, and it will seem less unusual, and soon, we will find that love and acceptance that we so desperately need.”
Noah Adams, 25, also known as Noahfinnce, received high praise at the Rainbow Honours, earning a Highly Commended award in the Musician category. He reflects: “When I was younger, I didn’t really feel pride at all.
“I felt pride in my bisexuality, but in terms of being trans, I never felt proud of that until quite recently,” shares the acclaimed singer-songwriter and YouTuber who challenges public figures like J. K. Rowling through his videos, reaching nearly a million followers.
Echoing the sentiment of many at the Rainbow Honours, Noah observed that this Pride Month seems more like a battle than a celebration. He aims to stand against anti-trans policies not just domestically but globally.
“I tour the US every single year, and this year I’m not going to be able to, because my passport’s going to be counted as fraudulent because it doesn’t match the sex assigned at birth,” Noah explains. To become better allies to the trans community, the Asthma Attack emphasised the importance of simply asking.
“It’s better to say the wrong thing and find out it’s the wrong thing than tiptoe around,” Noah concludes. Ali Bromley, notable for being the first lesbian to win Big Brother UK, shares a similar perspective to Noah, stressing the importance of open dialogue and education.
“Sometimes I do make the decision to protect my peace, but then sometimes if somebody sends me a message and I think, actually, that’s a good talking point, I think, why not share that and then share my response?” Ali, who was nominated for in the Rainbow Honours’ Media Moment category, says.
“What I would hope to model is that maybe change and progression can come with conversation, it doesn’t always have to be an argument, because I think sometimes we can get very polarised and start shouting at each other and maybe conversation is okay, and social media is a platform where we can do that.”
Being a public queer figure comes with a lot of “trolls” and online hate, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Saki Yew Suki says. As a result Saki highlighted the importance of recognising personal progress as key forms of self-care within the queer community.
They recommend: “Just take a moment sometimes in your own life and just reflect and just you give yourself the chance to go, ‘oh, my God, I’m doing so well with whatever I’m doing in my life’.”
Highly commended award recipient at the Rainbow Honours, Jaxon Feeley says: “You really do have to protect yourself, especially after the Supreme Court ruling, the level of hate online has more than tripled in terms of how much hate there is. When bullies are in power, it gives bullies permission to bully, and unfortunately, that creates a hell of a lot of pain.”
Charlie Craggs, who’s known for her transgender activism, shared her pride for the LGBTQIA+ community’s solidarity against transphobia. “For a long time, it’s felt like the trans, we’re the ones who have been seen as the extremists and we’re like the ones making it protesty, but that’s because our rights have been the most under fire in recent years,” she states.
Carlos Gu, star of Strictly Come D ancing, emphasised the value of staying true to oneself, calling out to men to accept their softer sides more openly. “Sometimes they want you to dance more masculine, but why can’t I dance femininely?” he comments humorously on the series spinoff show.
He continues: “I want to embrace my femininity, femininity, just brilliant. I think a man should embrace more of their femininity inside of them, because they create more layers of artistry and allow them to really express themselves on a deeper level.”
Carlos honoured the LGBTQIA+ community for helping him to be his authentic self fearlessly. “I think gay communities are so inspiring and allow ourselves to be ourselves without any obstacles, without any fear to think that somebody might come to us, I think that’s the most important thing I’ve learned,” he remarked.
On the film front, actor Jason Patel recounted the life-changing insights he gained from his role in ‘Unicorns,’ learning to navigate the spectrum of gender identity with grace and acceptance. With Pride Month upon us, Patel shared a powerful mantra: “Protect the dolls” – a heartfelt plea advocating for the safety of transgender individuals.
The Rainbow Honours’ enchanting evening featured Kathy Sledge as she accepted the Icon Award amidst cheers from the gathering, celebrating her firm support for the LGBTQIA+ community. The event was further uplifted by Sledge’s rousing rendition of the beloved classic, ‘We Are Family’.
Rainbow Honours 2025 winners
Icon Award
Winner – Kathy Sledge
Inspirational Role Model of the Year
Highly Commended – Greg Turner-Smart
Winner – Adelle Barker
Campaigner or Influencer of the Year
Highly Commended – Lady Phyll
Winner – Ella Morgan
Community Initiative of the Year
Highly Commended – Trans+ History Week
Winner – UK Black Pride
Musician of the Year
Highly Commended – Noahfinnce
Winner – Anthony Lexa
Charity of the Year
Winner – LGBT Foundation
Celebrity Ally of the Year
Highly Commended – Dame Arlene Phillips DBE
Winner – Sally Lindsay
Media Moment of the Year
Highly Commended – Jaxon Feeley in Hunted
Winner – Suki and Eve’s wedding in EastEnders
Celebrity LGBTQIA+ Champion of the Year
Highly Commended – Cynthia Erivo
Winner – Yasmin Finney
Outstanding Commitment to the LGBTQIA+ Community
Winner – Victoria McCloud
