There are historical events where everyone remembers where they were. “Paul just couldn’t be my son, but Ross is,” was one of those moments. A nation was gagged and gooped when Diane Carson uttered those famous words revealing that one of her fellow competitors on the hit BBC show The Traitors was in fact her son. It was a revelation that would cement her status as mother among the scores of LGBT+ fans that had become completely enamoured with her during her stint on the show.
Since becoming an “overnight gay icon” – as The Guardian referred to her – former schoolteacher Diane has gone on to prove herself a true ally. Most recently she partnered with Causeway to raise awareness of the LGBT+ community’s increased risk of modern slavery and human trafficking. She will march alongside Causeway and 20,000 others during March With Pride on July 27.
It is estimated that over 50 million people around the world are currently trapped in modern slavery, with more than 100,000 of those in the UK. This can include sexual exploitation, labour exploitation, criminal exploitation and domestic servitude. Modern slavery charity Causeway is one of the largest providers of modern slavery support in the UK.
We caught up with Diane ahead of Pride in Liverpool to find out more about marching with Causeway and what it means to be an ally…
This is your first Pride in Liverpool. Have you been to Liverpool before?
Yeah, it was amazing. And also, I just love the accent, actually. So I just love walking around the streets and listening to people chatting.
So you’re marching on behalf of Causeway. Can you tell us a bit more about Causeway and why you chose to march for them?
Well, it’s a charity that is working very hard to abolish slavery across the nation and around the world. They feel very much that the LGBT+ community is a vulnerable group. I’m an absolute believer that nobody should be in any subservient type of relationship anywhere. I’m new to the charity as well, so I’m also looking forward to finding out a bit more about what they do when I’m with them on the parade.
What does it mean to you to be an ally of the LGBT+ community?
Well, for me, I think everybody should be allowed to live as they see fit. And the only time that should ever be interfered with would be if you were ever going to cause any harm to anybody. Nobody should have their wings clipped. We should all have freedom of choice. And certainly the LGBT+ community is on the move upwards. Thank God for that. But I still think there is some prejudgment going on. Pride is absolutely a way to move forward and spread the news that basically everybody should have freedom. So that’s why I’m marching as an ally.
Following your appearance on The Traitors in January, The Guardian called you an ‘overnight gay icon’. Did you expect that at all?
Well, for one, I didn’t expect to get on the show. I was only having a laugh to prove to my kids that I could do something like that. One of them flippantly sent me an application form after I’d watched one episode with them. And so it would have been enough for me to have said, ‘look, I tried it.’ That’s all I wanted to do was to prove that I could have a go at it. I didn’t expect to get on, so I just was quite proud that I’d even applied. It was absolutely amazing to become a ‘gay icon’. I wasn’t even sure what that meant. So I’m very privileged, very surprised, but if it gives me the platform to work with groups that are moving LGBT+ rights forward that’s fantastic, you know, and as I said, I’m very proud and still a bit overwhelmed. I still find it all a bit surreal.
Our annual theme Be Heard focuses on how LGBT+ people and allies can make their voices heard. What is the best way to make your voice heard?
I think it has to depend on every situation that you’re in. I don’t ever want anybody stepping back. I would have children be given every opportunity to speak up and no answer is wrong. So if we started that from an early age, then people would be more confident and people would be more confident about living the lives they choose to live. If you’re not feeling good about something or about somebody not making you feel good, you stand firm and you stand proud. I just don’t think anybody should ever be worried about sharing their opinion and doing what they want to do, as long as it’s not hurting anybody.
Join Diane alongside Causeway and other charities for March With Pride on Saturday, 27 July. For more information, please visit prideinliverpool.co.uk/march.
