Stonewall co-founder: Ben Summerskill’s departure is a chance to renew relationships and reassess strategy
One of the founding members of gay rights charity Stonewall has commented on the announcement of the resignation of Chief Executive Ben Summerskill to say it is a chance to “renew relationships with other organisations and reassess it’s strategy.”
Stonewall announced the resignation of Chief Executive Ben Summerskill, who will leave the organisation on 7 February, earlier today.
Simon Fanshawe, who was one of the founding members of Stonewall back in 1989, suggested that the departure of Mr Summerskill would allow the charity to rekindle relationships with other organisations which had not been possible before.
Speaking to Pinknews, Mr Fanshawe said: “When a CEO leaves after such a long time it always gives an organisation the opportunity to renew relationships with other organisations and to reassess it’s strategy. Life for lesbians and gays is so different now from when we started Stonewall. This is a real chance for board and staff to take the chance to work cooperatively with others to refresh Stonewall’s position and collaborations.”
Speaking along the same lines, Stonewall Deputy Chief Executive, and soon to be Acting Chief Executive Ruth Hunt, today told PinkNews.co.uk that “there are a lot of conversations to be had”, when asked whether she would be open to changing the organisation’s policy to include lobbying on transgender issues.
Stonewall in England and Wales does not campaign or lobby on transgender issues, instead claiming to work with transgender groups.
In a column in Gay Times magazine‘s January edition, prominent journalist and broadcaster Paris Lees asked why Stonewall only lobbied on behalf of LG and B issues.
