Gay equality charity Stonewall has defended their right to nominate Scottish Sun columnist Bill Leckie for Journalist of the Year, today.
The organisation justified Leckie's inclusion on their shortlist for 4 November's Stonewall Awards, following objections by activists who claim that Leckie's journalism was once homophobic and transphobic.
But, earlier today, Stonewall's deputy chief executive, Laura Doughty, defended his nomination – insisting that the recognition was for Leckie's recent, pro-equality journalism which deserved acknowledgement.
She told PinkPaper.com: "Stonewall produces reports with recommendations on how to
improve things. Since our Scottish Written Out report in 2007 we’ve
worked with journalists and publications – including Bill Leckie and The
Sun –to help progress them on issues of LGBT equality.
"Compare Leckie’s writing now to 2007 – his article for The Sun in
December 2009 on Gareth Thomas showed a passionate, powerful defence of
LGBT equality in sport.
"It’s encouraging to us that journalists and newspapers can be
influenced on their journey of progress towards full support of LGBT
equality and we wanted to recognise this three years after – quite
rightly – critiquing his less helpful writing."
