Stonewall pays tribute to one of its founders, Debo (Deborah) Ballard

LGBTQ+ rights charity Stonewall has paid tribute to its co-founder Debo (Deborah) Ballard, who died at her home in Ireland last month.

In a statement, the charity said staff, volunteers and fellow founders were “sorrowed” by her passing, paying tribute to her as a central figure in the organisation’s creation and early work.

Ballard, a practising solicitor in 1987, was among the first lesbians to join Stonewall during its formation in 1988. The organisation was formally launched the following year in response to Section 28 of the Local Government Act, widely regarded as the first regressive law affecting lesbians and gay men in the UK for a century.

She joined from the Arts Lobby, a group credited with bringing mainstream attention to the impact of the legislation, and had previously served on the board of the London Lesbian & Gay Centre.

Stonewall said Ballard would be remembered for her “warm smile” and “positive attitude to creating change”, as well as her advocacy for lesbian inclusion and queer family rights.

After moving to Ireland, she became a prominent figure in the country’s emerging LGBT movement during the 1990s and 2000s, working in both journalism and social activism.

The charity also paid tribute to two other co-founders, Peter Rivas and Peter Ashman, who have previously died, recognising their role in establishing Stonewall and advancing its commitment to equality and human rights.

Of the 16 original founders of Stonewall in 1989, 13 are still living.