Black History Month: Celebrating Black Voices in Sexual Health and Wellbeing
Black History Month provides an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the achievements and contributions of Black people and communities. Black voices have played an important role in shaping conversations around healthcare, HIV, LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive health and wellbeing. For The Eddystone Trust, these stories are particularly relevant to our work to challenge stigma, address health inequalities and ensure sexual health support is accessible to everyone.
Black communities, particularly Black African communities, continue to experience a disproportionate impact from HIV. This is linked to a range of structural and social factors, including inequalities in healthcare access, experiences of discrimination, and barriers to prevention, testing and treatment.
It is therefore important for us, as an organisation, to recognise and highlight the work of Black activists and advocates whose work aligns with our commitment to challenging stigma, championing LGBTQ+ inclusion and improving access to inclusive, equitable healthcare.
Marc Thompson
Marc Thompson is a Black British LGBTQ+ activist, health promotion specialist and HIV advocate.
He is the co-founder of PrEPster, a prominent community organisation that provides education, advocacy and resources around HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). His work also highlights the importance of positive representation of people living with HIV and inclusive approaches to HIV prevention.
Lady Phyll
Lady Phyll is a Black British LGBTQ+ activist and co-founder of UK Black Pride, which has created spaces where Black LGBTQ+ people can connect, celebrate and feel represented. Her work highlights the connections between identity, community and wellbeing, and the importance of creating inclusive spaces for Black LGBTQ+ communities.
Dr Annabel Sowemimo
Dr Annabel Sowemimo is a doctor, writer and reproductive justice activist.
She is the founder of the Reproductive Justice Initiative and author of DIVIDED: Racism, Medicine and Why We Need to Decolonise Healthcare. Her work challenges inequalities in sexual and reproductive healthcare and highlights the importance of accessible, culturally appropriate care.
Bisi Alimi
Bisi Alimi is a British-Nigerian LGBTQ+ rights advocate and HIV activist. He has worked to challenge homophobia, HIV-related stigma and discrimination. He was the first person to come out on Nigerian television, and his work demonstrates the importance of visibility and open conversations in challenging stigma and discrimination.
These stories remind us that sexual health is about much more than preventing illness. Black and African communities continue to experience disproportionate impacts from HIV, with stigma, discrimination and barriers to accessing appropriate healthcare contributing to these inequalities.
This makes the work of people challenging these barriers, improving representation and advocating for more inclusive healthcare particularly important. Their contributions have helped to shape conversations around HIV, sexual health, LGBTQ+ rights and reproductive health, while highlighting the importance of community-led approaches to improving health and wellbeing.
This Black History Month, The Eddystone Trust is recognising the contributions of people whose work has helped challenge stigma and inequality, while also recognising the importance of continuing this work.
Representation matters. Access to healthcare matters. Community and connection matter. Everyone deserves sexual healthcare that is inclusive, accessible and free from discrimination.