Draft:Heather Paterson

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Heather Paterson
Born	(1981-08-06) August 6, 1981 Liverpool, England, U.K.
Education	FdEng Integrated Engineering, Sheffield Hallam University, 2013
Occupation(s)	Activist, community worker, columnist, DJ
Known for	LGBT rights activism (co-founder of Pride Sheffield; former CEO of SAYiT)
Board member of	Chair, Proud Changemakers
Website	heatherpaterson.co.uk

Heather Marie Paterson (born 6 August 1981) is an English LGBTQ rights activist, community worker, and columnist​. She co-founded Sheffield’s first Pride event in 2007 and later served as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Sheffield LGBTQ+ youth charity SAYiT from 2020 to 2024. Paterson has been active in local and national campaigns for LGBTQ+ equality and social justice for over two decades. She is known for initiatives addressing issues such as LGBTQ+ youth support, domestic abuse, and hate speech, and has held leadership roles in several community organisations. Paterson writes an LGBTQ+ column for Exposed Magazine and performs as a drag DJ under the alias “Anna Kissed.” She has received multiple awards recognising her activism, including Activist of the Year at the South Yorkshire LGBT+ Awards in 2017, and was named among the top 100 influential LGBT figures on the 2022 Pride Power List.​

Early life and education

Heather Paterson was born in 1981 in Liverpool, England​. She moved to Sheffield in 1999 to attend Sheffield Hallam University. While at university, she became involved in student activism and was elected as the Students’ Union LGB (Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual) Officer in 2000. Paterson’s early experiences campaigning for LGBTQ+ rights on campus laid the foundation for her lifelong involvement in activism and community work. She graduated from Sheffield Hallam and remained in Sheffield to continue working with local LGBTQ youth and community organisations.

Activism

Paterson has been engaged in LGBTQ+ activism in Sheffield and across South Yorkshire since the early 2000s​. In 2007, she was one of the co-founders of Sheffield’s first Pride event (South Yorkshire Pride), which marked the city’s inaugural celebration of LGBTQ+ pride. She later served as the chair of Pride Sheffield, helping to organise and expand the annual event. Paterson was also a representative and subsequently chair of the LGBT+ Hub of Sheffield’s Equality Hub Network for four years (2016–2020), a forum that brought together community members with the local authority and statutory organisations to advance equality initiatives.

In her activism, Paterson has focused on inclusive and intersectional issues. She has been a vocal supporter of transgender rights, often using the slogan “LGB with the T” to emphasise solidarity between lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities. Paterson took part in campaigns such as Call It Out, a project addressing LGBTQ domestic abuse; through this project she helped train over 80 organisations on LGBTQ+ awareness and domestic violence support​. She was also involved in the Sheffield Against Hate campaign, leading efforts to counter hate speech and hate crimes in the city. Paterson frequently collaborates with other activists and groups to promote diversity, inclusion, and the rights of marginalised people, and she has appeared at events ranging from local community gatherings to solidarity demonstrations (for example, protesting anti-LGBTQ persecution abroad).

Career

After university, Paterson began her career working with LGBTQ youth. She joined the Sheffield LGB Youth Initiative and worked on projects supporting young LGBTQ people. In the late 2000s, she continued her community work while co-founding South Yorkshire Pride and engaging in various equality-focused initiatives. Paterson initially worked on an LGBTQ+ domestic abuse project at the charity SAYiT (Sheena Amos Youth Trust) where she was subsequently, in July 2020, appointed as CEO, leading the charity’s efforts to provide support and social opportunities for LGBTQ+ youth in South Yorkshire and Derbyshire. During her tenure, SAYiT expanded its programs on mental health, education, and inclusion for young people. Paterson held the CEO position until 2024, when she announced she would be stepping down after four years in the role.

In 2024, Paterson transitioned to a national role by joining the LGBT+ Consortium (a UK-wide network of LGBTQ groups and organisations) as Head of Partnerships and Development​). In this capacity, she works on strengthening collaborations with, and securing resources for, the LGBTQ non-profit sector across the UK. Paterson also serves as the chair of the board of trustees for Proud Changemakers, a voluntary group that mentors and elevates emerging LGBTQ leaders in civil society. Aside from her nonprofit leadership roles, she is a regular columnist for Exposed Magazine, a Sheffield-based publication, where she writes about LGBTQ issues and culture. Paterson’s contributions also extend to creative and artistic arenas; she DJs and performs in drag under the name Anna Kissed, often appearing at LGBTQ events and community fundraisers.

Political and social views

Paterson is an advocate for broad social equality and LGBTQ rights, and she has articulated inclusive views on gender and sexuality. She has consistently emphasised the importance of solidarity within the LGBTQ community, notably championing transgender inclusion. In interviews and public statements, Paterson has argued that movements for lesbian, gay, and bisexual rights must stand firmly with transgender people, coining phrases like “You can’t spell Stonewall without the T” to underline her point​. Her stance comes in response to debates within the LGBTQ+ movement, and she has opposed any efforts to exclude trans individuals from LGBTQ initiatives. Paterson also supports campaigns to ban so-called “conversion therapy” and has aligned herself with human rights causes that intersect with LGBTQ issues, such as mental health advocacy and anti-racism efforts.

On political matters, Paterson has worked with local government and law enforcement through advisory groups to improve policies affecting LGBTQ+ residents. As chair of the Sheffield Equality Hub Network’s LGBT+ hub, she liaised with the city council on issues like hate crime, healthcare access, and education. Paterson has not publicly aligned with a political party; instead, she works through non-partisan networks and charities to influence policy and public opinion. She has praised initiatives by progressive politicians (for example, supporting the introduction of same-sex marriage in the UK) and has critiqued government actions that she views as harmful to minority groups. Paterson’s overall social views stress community empowerment, the importance of visible role models, and the need for continued activism to safeguard the rights of LGBTQ+ people and other marginalised communities.

Awards and recognition

Paterson has received multiple awards and nominations in recognition of her activism and contributions to the LGBTQ+ community.

In 2017, she won Activist of the Year and Diversity Champion at the South Yorkshire LGBT+ Awards, while Pride Sheffield, which she co-founded, was awarded LGBT+ Event of the Year.

At the National Diversity Awards, she was shortlisted for LGBT Positive Role Model in 2020. The Noah Lomax Fund, a project hosted by SAYiT, the LGBTQ youth charity she led, was shortlisted for Age Community Organisation the same year.

In 2022, Paterson was included in the Pride Power List, ranking 91st among the most influential LGBTQ figures in the UK. That same year, she was listed in the Diva Power List as one of the Charity Top Ten leaders. SAYiT was shortlisted for Charity of the Year at the British Diversity Awards, while the Sheffield LGBT+ Multi-Agency Network, which she co-chaired, was shortlisted for Network of the Year at the Rainbow Honours

Her work has also been recognised at the Sheffield Community Awards, where SAYiT won the Partnership Award in 2023. That same year, she was nominated for Lifetime Contribution Award and SAYiT was nominated for Health and Wellbeing Award.

In 2019, she was shortlisted for Kantar Campaigner of the Year at the European Diversity Awards. Earlier in her career, she won the LGBT Creative Artist Award at The Gay Agenda & That’s Pride Awards (2016) and was named Local Hero by Exposed Magazine in 2015. Sheffield Pride, under her leadership, won Best Event at the Exposed Awards in 2010.

Paterson’s activism dates back to the 2000s, when she was awarded the Spring Out Award for Support and Positive Contribution to Sheffield’s LGBT Communities in 2008. That same year, she placed 6th in the People’s Choice Award at Miss Gay UK, having also placed 10th in 2007.

Legacy

Heather Paterson’s long career in activism has had a significant impact on LGBTQ life in Sheffield and the surrounding region. By co-founding Sheffield Pride in 2007, she helped kick-start a tradition of annual Pride celebrations in the city, creating a visible space for the LGBTQ community and fostering greater acceptance locally​. The youth services and programs she led at SAYiT have provided vital support for young LGBTQ individuals, offering safe social spaces, mentoring, and education on topics from sexual health to mental wellbeing. Paterson has noted that seeing the positive impact on vulnerable young people has been one of the most rewarding aspects of her work. Through training initiatives like Call It Out, she also helped local agencies (such as schools, councils, and police) improve their inclusion practices, making support services more accessible to LGBTQ people. These efforts have contributed to a more informed and empathetic environment for LGBTQ individuals in South Yorkshire.

As a prominent advocate and organiser, Paterson has played a role in strengthening the infrastructure of LGBTQ advocacy in her community. The networks and groups she has chaired – from the Equality Hub Network’s LGBT+ hub to the Sheffield LGBTQ+ Multi-Agency Network – have brought together stakeholders across the city to coordinate events, lobby for policy changes, and respond to issues affecting LGBTQ residents​. Her leadership style emphasises collaboration and visibility, ensuring that marginalised voices are included in decision-making processes. Paterson’s work has been widely recognised; being shortlisted multiple times for national awards as a positive role model underscores how she is viewed as an inspiring figure in the broader movement for equality. Many credit her with energising local activism and serving as a mentor to younger LGBTQ activists. With her ongoing roles at the national level through Consortium) and Proud Changemakers, Paterson continues to influence LGBTQ+ advocacy in the UK. Her legacy is reflected in a more connected, resilient, and visible LGBTQ+ community in Sheffield, and her impact endures in the programs, events, and networks she helped build.

Publications

Paterson is a regular writer on LGBTQ topics. Since 2015, she has authored the LGBTQ column in Exposed Magazine, covering queer culture, events, and issues in Sheffield and beyond​.

In addition to her column and blogging on her personal website, Paterson has contributed to academic and educational publications. Notably, she co-authored a book chapter titled “Supporting neurodiverse LGBTQ+ students to thrive” in the 2024 anthology Relational Practice: New Approaches to Mental Health and Wellbeing in Schools​. This chapter, written with Carol Fordham, explores strategies for helping neurodivere LGBTQ students (such as those on the autism spectrum or with ADHD) to succeed in school environments. Paterson drew on her experience working with young people to provide insight into creating inclusive, supportive educational practices.

Paterson has also published essays and op-eds on topics like the history of Pride, the importance of LGBTQ visibility, and reflections on activism strategy. Through her publications—both popular and scholarly—Paterson aims to educate others, document LGBTQ community history, and advocate for ongoing progress in equality and human rights.

Bibliography

• Paterson, Heather and Fordham, Carol (2024). Supporting neurodiverse LGBTQ+ students to thrive (Relational Practice: New Approaches to Mental Health and Wellbeing in Schools) Routledge ISBN 9781003451907

External links

• Official website