Features & Longread

Rev Jesse Jackson, the celebrated civil‑rights leader, long-time activist and two‑time Democratic presidential candidate, is being remembered not only for his transformative impact on racial justice but also for his enduring advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights. Jackson, who died on Tuesday at the age of 84, consistently championed equality

“We are not here to preserve ashes. We are here to keep the fire alive.” Helmut Metzner reflects on memory, visibility and why progress on LGBTQ+ rights is never guaranteed, but must be defended again and again.

Former Royal Navy officer Craig Jones reflects on the Armed Forces Gay Ban, coming out in uniform, and why the struggle for equality inside Britain’s institutions is far from over.

Coming out when I did shortly before my mum died was the most liberating thing I ever did

The progressive wave that we experienced in the early 2010s did not come about because politicians suddenly remembered that equality matters. It was the result of years of campaigning, protesting, lobbying, writing and claiming and reclaiming space and narrative.