Joe Lycett has pulled out of the British LGBT Awards after climate campaigners said they would protest outside over its sponsorship deals with Shell and BP.
The comedian, who was nominated for his “shredding” of £10,000 in protest at David Beckham’s ambassadorship for the Qatar World Cup, joins a host of other stars who have publicly withdrawn from the event over its fossil fuel links.
The awards ceremony honours queer and LGBT celebrities, role models and organisations. But nominees began pulling out after campaigners warned them it had become an exercise in corporate “pinkwashing” for oil and gas companies.
Among those who have publicly announced their withdrawal are the drag queen Cheddar Gorgeous, the journalists Shon Faye and Sharan Dhaliwal, the podcaster Josh Rivers and the trans campaigner Fox Fisher. Lycett’s request to have his nomination withdrawn has been confirmed to the Guardian by his management company.
Two judges have also pulled out, the Guardian understands.
Gorgeous, who found fame after appearances on RuPaul’s Drag Race, said it was “with sadness but necessary resolve” that they were rejecting a nomination for “TV moment of the year”.
Writing on Instagram, they said: “The event unfortunately has a number of sponsors with questionable track records on climate change, racism and inequality, including BP and Shell. These two in particular have consistently failed to back up rhetoric of low carbon transition with actions to that effect.
“Given the nomination was offered for an act of creative advocacy, it wouldn’t feel right to be part of the event knowing the damage these companies are still doing to the environment and communities most affected by climate change.”
Faye also announced her withdrawal on Instagram, writing: “I don’t accept my nomination nor would I want anyone to vote for me as long the awards are sponsored by BP and Shell.
“One of the greatest political anxieties I have is that I have spent a lot of my working life trying to fight for future generations of queer and trans people to see liberation. That’s all undermined and threatened by the extreme and imminent threat of climate change and the social impact of climate injustice.”
Turning down her nomination, Dhaliwal said: “I can’t be part of this, so will not be attending the event. I won’t win – I’m up against very big names, so I don’t imagine it will make a difference for them, but as an activist, who fights for the rights of queer people of colour, the last thing I want to do is align myself to this.”
Nominees began pulling out of the awards ceremony after they were contacted by activists from climate justice group Tipping Point UK and from Fossil Free Pride, which campaigns for Pride events across the UK to drop their fossil fuel sponsors.
On Monday night the LGBT community platform Queer House Party joined calls on stars to pull out, saying in an open letter: “For these kinds of companies to be advertised at the British LGBT Awards represents a defeat for the LGBTQ community and an insult to everyone that we stand in solidarity with internationally.
“As the LGBT Awards are ignoring our calls to end their partnerships with these corporations – we are now instead calling upon the nominees of the awards to take a stand and reject their nominations in support of our community and the people who are disproportionately affected by the climate crisis being drastically worsened by these corporations.”
On Tuesday, Just Stop Oil issued a statement, in the name of its LGBTQ+ supporters, saying: “We in the LGBTQ+ community will not allow the deadliest and most dangerous companies to use our existence to greenwash and rainbow wash their brands. This is a line in the sand for us.”
The awards ceremony takes place in central London on Friday. Climate campaigners have vowed to hold “a big camp protest” outside, including a counter-ceremony with drag performances, speakers from communities affected by climate breakdown and satirical awards for sponsors in categories such as “biggest destroyer of habitats in the North Sea” and “biggest destroyer of indigenous lands in Colombia”.
Jessie Dolliver, a spokesperson for Fossil Free Pride, said: “This awards is a really blatant, textbook example of what pinkwashing is … Not only are [sponsors] awarding prizes to prominent members of the LGBT+ community, but they are also awarding prizes to themselves, and then they will use those as credentials going forward to make themselves look impressive.”
Shell said the extent of its sponsorship ran as far as its LGBT+ employee group –known internally as the Proud@ShellUK Network – buying a premium table at the awards event and taking out an advert in the awards brochure.
A spokesperson for Proud@Shell, said: “Shell puts diversity, equity and inclusion at the heart of its employee culture and believes that a fully inclusive workplace allows our business to flourish.
“It’s important to highlight this through our presence at events like this one, and it’s regrettable that a few people have reacted so negatively, especially as we’re committed to becoming a net zero emissions energy business by 2050.”
A BP spokesperson said: “At BP, we promote an environment where everyone can be their best and true selves and feel like they belong, with no exceptions.
“That’s why we’re proud to sponsor the British LGBT Awards to celebrate other individuals and organisations that share our beliefs and recognise diversity, equity and inclusion.”
The Guardian has contacted the British LGBT Awards for comment.
