Organised by Medway over Rainbows and held in Gillingham, allies, activists and community partners were recognised for their efforts in supporting the community.
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00:00Music, dancing, celebration. This week Medway Over Rainbows have recognised allies, organisations
00:07and voices within the LGBTQ plus community for their work over the last year in their
00:13awards ceremony. The organisers say this is the only awards ceremony of its kind in Kent
00:19that they know of and it comes at a time of intense political debate about trans issues.
00:25Vishay Koffi who organised the event and serves as director of Medway Pride says the
00:31awards show that people in Kent are more unified on these issues than public debate would have
00:37us believe.
00:38There is a lot of darkness but it's created by a very, very small minority and nights
00:43like this remind us all that most people are really accepting and most people actually
00:47want to get involved and have a bit of a party.
00:49Helping open the night was guest speaker Verity Smith, a trans rugby player and advocate for
00:55greater inclusion in sport who has faced transphobia both on and off the pitch. He
01:00says the awards provide an opportunity to recognise the next generation.
01:06Even though we've seen quite a lot of the political side of things currently, it's about
01:10making sure the correct information is out there and that people are recognised for the
01:14amount of work that they're actually doing out there. And for me just seeing the young
01:17people being themselves, being supported by their parents and Medway Pride as well for
01:23me supporting me within my rugby has just been absolutely amazing and to show the young
01:28people that can be themselves, they are seen, they are cared about. You can't get the smiles
01:33off your faces when you see that and for me that's everything about TransJoint.
01:38One person in attendance was Jordan Chan, the Kent based Mr Gay Great Britain finalist
01:44aiming to win the pageant in order to become an equalities advisor to the government. He
01:49says that seeing politicians, journalists, charities, schools and young people from
01:55all across Medway coming together means a lot to him on a personal level.
01:59As a mixed race gay person I didn't have the most easiest of childhoods or easy life in
02:06my early teens and 20s. So Medway is actually my second home, that's where all the gay bars
02:11were and that's when I really felt like myself for the first time, escaping where I was from
02:17and coming to Medway, going to places like The Ship, The Riverside Tavern, Coyotes, opening
02:23my eyes up to the rainbow. Everybody here has made such an impact and I'm just honoured
02:28to be in the same room as these people. They're all inspirations and they all do an amazing
02:32job.
02:33And even if there's a long way to go, for the elders here within the LGBTQ plus community
02:39in Medway, these awards show how far the fight for equality has come.
02:44I have seen things that you would not believe. Now I see happiness and joy for everyone.
02:54Yeah!
02:57Oliver Leader of the Sats with KMTV in Gillingham.