Shaun Dellenty has been regarded as one of the first few people who came ‘out’ whilst working with a primary school by the national press. For someone who suffered childhood bullying of homophobic nature, Shaun today is a out and proud member of the LGBT+ community and uses his platform as a speaker to promote the message of inclusivity for all. As a speaker Shaun touches on topics related to LGBT+ issues.
Having received his Bachelor’s in Education from the University of Leicester, Shaun was also awarded a Honorary Doctor of Education degree from the University of Derby. Today, he has worked with schools and businesses all over the world to share his insights on LGBT language, identity and inclusivity and received the former UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s acknowledgement as being a ‘Point of Light’ for the LGBT+ and education communities. He is the author of "Celebrating Difference: A Whole School Approach to LGBT Inclusion", a book which has been used by the UK Parliament as a guidepost to understand the nuances of the community. Shaun’s efforts are rooted in the fact that he wants young people today to be treated with more compassion and kindness, and to not be met with homophobic bullying as he did when he was growing up and starting out as a professional. When he realised that roughly 75% students face bullying of this kind, he decided to come out in the primary school where he worked.
In 2009, Shaun founded Inclusion For All, and developed a unique strategy that he shares with the schools and colleges he works with to ensure that the youth learn the importance of LGBT acceptance. Ultimately his hope is that people learn more about the LGBT+ community and pass less judgement on them, so that everyone feels supported and in turn, happy. Huffington Post referred to Shaun as the ‘Most Compelling LGBT Voice of 2012’, which is unsurprising given the phenomenal work he has done with clients like HSBC Bank, Stonewall and even in The House of Commons.
Shaun’s TEDx talk "How I Survived Homophobic Bullying" is surely something young people today can use as proof that despite the challenges they may face early on, they have it in them to come out strong. In 2012 the Independent on Sunday’s Pink List mentioned Shaun as one of the 100 Most Influential LGBT People in the UK. He has also been included in the Diversity Power List and 2022 Inclusive Awards. If you are looking for a robust and engaging speaker, with the experience of appearing on platforms like BBC, CBBC, ITV, The Guardian, and so on, look no further than Shan Dellenty!
