When receiving the Trailblazer of the Year award at the Attitude 101 ceremony, the politician paid tribute to one of his LGBTQ+ heroes who had inspired him with ‘unapologetically authentic’ on screen queer representation
Green Party leader Zack Polanski has paid tribute to one of his LGBTQ+ heroes who inspired him with “unapologetically authentic” on screen queer representation.
The hero of course was Russell T Davies who wrote the series Queer as Folk which first aired in the late 90s. For Zack, the boldness of Davies’s writing provided a roadmap for his own journey, proving that the influence of Wales’ creative giants stretches far beyond the TV screen and right into the heart of British leadership.
Mr Polanski was speaking as he was crowned Attitude Magazine’s Trailblazer of the Year.
Every year the magazine publishes its Attitude 101 list of 100 LGBTQ+ trailblazers, who have “demonstrated outstanding achievement and leadership in their areas of expertise.”
The event took place on Friday, February 13, at the Rosewood Hotel in central London, which the politician attended with partner Richie Bryan. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter
During his speech, Zack shared: “And the final thing that was stolen from me was Mr. Russell T. Davies. Because I remember, as so many people in this room will remember, the difference Queer as Folk made to my life.”
He joked: “Now, I’m not suggesting I was doing the sorts of things that Charlie Hunnam and Aidan Gillen were doing in that series.”
The award winner continued: “But to see queer representation be unapologetically authentic, be proud and be bold, both maybe partly made me the person I am, partly the politician I am and partly the leader I am.
“So RTD, thank you.”
He received a standing ovation for his speech which also praised NHS staff, much like his partner Richie, who works in palliative care, for being the “real trailblazers in this country, the nurses, the doctors, the healthcare people”.
He continued: “Our collective humanity – knowing that every single person, whether they’re a migrant, whether they’re unemployed, whether they’re running a big business… the contribution that these people are bringing to our society every single day.
“To every single person in our National Health Service and to every single LGBT person being authentically themselves, at work, in public, and being proud, thank you.”
The party leader also discussed about being openly gay in politics, and how he hoped to represent the queer community. He explained that he had received messages after appearing on stage with his partner at a conference, saying: “that’s the power of representation, and that’s again the power of storytelling.”