City journalist and LGBTQ+ leader honoured to be on role model list
A Black Country pioneer for LGBTQ+ journalism has been honoured with a place in a top 100 list for role models.
PinkNews’ Reporter Sophie Perry, who was born in Wolverhampton, has been honoured on Outstanding’s 100 Future Leaders Role Model list for her contributions to LGBTQ+ journalism and her work as Founder of the LGBTQ+ Journalism Network.
The list features inspirational LGBTQ+ individuals who are not yet senior leaders in an organisation, but are making a significant contribution to inclusion for LGBTQ+ people within business.
The Outstanding LGBTQ+ Role Model Lists, supported by YouTube, showcase global LGBTQ+ business leaders and allies who are breaking down barriers and creating more inclusive workplaces across the world.
As a reporter at PinkNews, the largest LGBTQ+ led media company, Sophie has contributed to some of the most read and watched LGBTQ+ content globally, including her queer-focused coverage of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, documenting the mass Pride Month boycotts and securing exclusive interviews with the mum of killed trans teen Brianna Ghey.
Her work in the LGBTQ+ journalism space helps to deliver positive and transformative change in the UK and globally.
As the first person to go to university from her working class family in Wolverhampton, Sophie said the social stratification of journalism impacted her ability to break into the industry as she was faced with the dichotomy of her parental income bracket and unpaid internships when first becoming a journalist.
Alongside her work at PinkNews, Sophie founded the LGBTQ+ Journalism Network in response to a lack of specific industry-wide spaces for LGBTQ+ journalists to connect, network and support each other.
After launching on social media, the Network attracted more than 100 members in its first week and today has grown organically, without external financial support, to have more than 300 members.
The network was commended at the 2023 NCTJ Awards for Excellence in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Sophie was awarded the first ever Inclusion & Diversity Award at the Newsquest Excellence Awards 2021.
Sophie said “It is a huge honour to be included on a list which features so many incredible and inspiring individuals from around the world, who are all striving to make their workplaces more inclusive, accessible and welcoming to LGBTQ+ people.
“As governments around the world continue to crackdown on LGBTQ+ lives with draconian laws, anti-queer hate crimes and rocket and the media pushes misinformation about the community, accurate reporting which centres LGBTQ+ voices is more important than ever.
"I firmly believe journalism can only bring about real change if the people telling the stories, including leaders in the media sector, represent those who are reading them.”
The full Outstanding LGBTQ+ Role Model Lists can be found at outstanding.involverolemodels.org/
