On Thursday 10th April, members of Out Together and the Club Out Together LGBTQ+ professional network came together for a powerful evening of networking, insight and inspiration at Northern Ballet in Leeds.
Set in the heart of one of the UK’s most vibrant cultural regions, the event took place at Northern Ballet’s stunning purpose-built home. Attendees were treated to a behind-the-scenes tour of the building, met members of the company, and learned about the upcoming world premiere of Gentleman Jack – a new ballet based on the extraordinary life of Yorkshire LGBTQ+ icon Anne Lister, set to debut in 2026.
The evening’s keynote speakers explored an increasingly urgent global theme: the growing threats to LGBTQ+ rights and freedoms.
As part of the discussion, two new initiatives were announced: Our new interactive “Flag in the Yorkshire Map” and “LGBT+ Matters”, a series of round table discussions involving Yorkshire DEI corporate representatives, both of which aim to build alliances that protect and defend the rights the community has fought hard to achieve.
A highlight of the evening was the participation of two trustees from the Gilbert Baker Foundation, the organisation dedicated to the legacy of the designer of the iconic Rainbow Flag. Charley Beal, President of the Foundation and a leading LGBTQ+ activist in the US, who joined via video link from New York, and Aaron Casserly Stewart, a key activist who helped establish the award winning ‘Flag in the Map’, an international project sharing photos of the Rainbow Flag in meaningful locations, to strengthen the resolve of often threatened individuals and communities.
We were also honoured to be joined by the Chair of ReportOUT, Drew Dalton, who also collaborated on the award winning “Flag in the Map” campaign alongside Aaron Casserly Stewart.
It was an evening that celebrated the strength of our local LGBTQ+ community and the opportunity for us to make a difference.