Stonewall has released the eighth edition of Starting Out, Britain’s lesbian, gay and bisexual Careers Guide both online and in print.

Starting Out– supported by Credit Suisse – features profiles of 425 employers from sectors including banking, defence, retail and local government. All the employers listed are members of Stonewall’s Diversity Champions programme, and are committed to making their workplaces gay-friendly. The guide is targeted at the 150,000 lesbian, gay and bisexual students in Britain, as well as all discerning jobseekers and graduates. 

Colleen Humphrey, Stonewall Director of Workplace said: ‘We know people perform better when they can be themselves, and the number of employers featured in Starting Out shows they know this too. Every employer featured is eager to recruit the very best in lesbian, gay and bisexual talent. They all know that creating a fully supportive and inclusive work environment makes sound business sense because when staff achieve their full potential, businesses clearly benefit.’

Stonewall has launched a campaign calling on candidates for Police and Crime Commissioner posts across England and Wales to promise to tackle anti-gay hate crimes. The charity has launched a straightforward website explaining what the new Commissioners mean for lesbian, gay and bisexual people, and encouraging gay people to vote in the elections on 15 November. Voters can download e-postcards to call on candidates to say what they’ll do to tackle hate crime.

Police and Crime Commissioners will have extensive powers to set local policing priorities. Stonewall research shows anti-gay hate crime remains a serious problem in every police force area in Britain, with one in eight gay people saying they’ve experienced a hate crime or incident. Seven in ten gay people say they didn’t report incidents, a third of whom didn’t think the police would take them seriously. Stonewall works closely with police forces across Britain to help them work more effectively for all people in their communities, and will engage with newly elected Commissioners to make sure they understand and respond to gay people’s concerns.

Singer Will Young was one of the many people sporting Stonewall’s ‘Some people are gay. Get over it!’ message at Lovebox Festival’s special gay-friendly Sunday on 18 July.

As the official charity partner for the day, Stonewall distributed stickers, posters and banners displaying the hard-hitting message and helping Lovebox create an atmosphere of safety and fun for its first ever gay-themed day.

Will Young said: ‘I’m chuffed Lovebox has a gay day this year – there’s such a great vibe and Stonewall is a fab cause.’

Eight years after he won Pop Idol, Will Young has been voted the number one British role model in pop for young lesbian, gay and bisexual people.

Voters in Stonewall’s multiple-choice social media poll were asked which British music personality is the best role model for young lesbian, gay and bisexual people. The results were:

1. Will Young 58%
2. Alison Goldfrapp 15%
3. Kele Okereke 12%  
4. Joe McElderry 10%
5. Lady Sovereign 5%