Honour for LGBTQ+ campaign is 'humbling'

Equality campaigners and Guernsey Deputy Jayne Ozanne said it was "quite surprising" to be awarded an OBE in the King's New Year's Honours List.

She has been honoured for services to religion and the LGBTQ+ community.

She worked with senior religious leaders at the suggestion of Pope Francis to "try and speak out against discrimination and prejudice", and call for a global ban on "conversion therapy" or attempts to change someone's sexual orientation or gender identity.

She also served on the UK's government's LGBT Advisory Panel, before resigning over a "lack of progress towards a ban on conversion therapy", which she said "harmed so many people around the world".

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She returned to Guernsey in 2024 and said she was "very humbled" to be honoured by the award.

The newly-elected deputy has "passed the baton on" with her work with the British national LGBTQ+ community and was concentrating on her "island matters" as an elected representative, she said.

"My heart has always been to speak out for those who feel they have no voice with no voice," she said, explaining she would carry on working on religious issues and those affecting the LGBTQ+ community in Guernsey.

She added that she would be working for those affected by the cost of living crisis, with disabilities and "those who feel quite vulnerable in the system".

She was also busy on transport issues, she said.

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