Midlands names celebrated in Pride Power List

2025’s Pride Power List from The Guardian has been announced, and among the activist, celebrities, icons and individuals from the LGBTQ+ community in the top 100 are many names from across the Midlands region.

Bella Ramsey (they/them): The non-binary actor from Nottingham whose breakout role was as Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones. Their most notable role, however, is Ellie in the HBO drama The Last Of Us alongside Pedro Pascal.

Gok Wan MBE (he/him): Leicester-born, Gok is fashion consultant, author, TV presenter, actor, DJ, chef and event manager.

Eva Echo (she/they): Trans activist, writer and public speaker, Eva, works with Birmingham Pride, Trans in the City and is part of the Crown Prosecution Service’s hate crime panel.

Lucy Spraggan (she/her): Singer-songwriter who first found fame through the X Factor in 2012, she was born in Canterbury but at a young age moved to Buxton, Derbyshire where she grew up. Lucy's music combines elements of folk and pop music. She has released eight studio albums with her latest, Other Sides Of The Moon, released in June this year.

Nadia Whittome MP (she/her): Labour MP for Nottingham East since 2019, she is an advocate for migrants and refugees, people of colour, disabled people and the LGBTQIA+ community.

Char Bailey (she/her): Birmingham Pride’s Director of People, Char is an award-winning facilitator and autism advocate. She is also involved with organising UK Black Pride as their education and inclusion officer.

Charlie Martin (she/her): Racing car driver and trans rights activist, Charlie was born in Leicester. During her career, has worked with leading LGBTQIA+ charities Stonewall, Mermaids, Athlete Ally and Racing Pride to improve visibility, acceptance and inclusion in motorsport.

Ash Palmisciano (he/him): A British actor from Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, Ash is best known for his role as Matty Barton in Emmerdale; the show’s first trans character. He came out as transgender in 2012 and was also the first trans actor to appear on stage at the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Jess Carter (she/her): Born in Warwick, Jess is a professional football player on the England women’s national team. She was on the squad that won the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 and reached the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup final.

Celebrity allies “using their platforms to stand up for our community when it counts” are also celebrated on the Pride Power list, and among them is Wolverhampton’s own, singer and actress, Beverley Knight MBE (she/her).