Leah Cunnah

About this volunteer

Role

Vice chair

Projects

Allies

This volunteer no longer works with us.

Leah Cunnah is a former vice chair of the Civil Service LGBT+ Network.

As Vice-Chair of the Civil Service LGBT+ Network I lead on allyship. I am an LGBT+ ally who is passionate about equality and diversity which has been shown through my education, volunteering and career choices.

I want to help raise awareness and tackle discrimination to encourage others to embrace equality and diversity. Likewise, I want to increase support and inclusion. To do so I wish to engage with both LGBT+ people and allies to help develop resources and spaces to educate others. I want to make people aware of individual identities and experiences as well as consider intersectionality of gender and sexuality along with other protected characteristics.

I was previously in the Department for Education when I first started the role of Vice-Chair back in 2019. I had moved from Liverpool to Manchester so ended my volunteer work back home, so I decided to be more of an active ally at work. I am currently a Policy Advisor in the Government Equalities Office, Cabinet Office. My team are responsible for the Equality Act 2010. My main areas are age and disability, and then race, religion & belief, caste and positive action.

I studied sexuality and gender in my Sociology undergraduate degree and went on to get my Master of Research, where I conducted narrative interviews to hear the stories and lived experience of trans activists. While completing my masters, I also volunteered with LGBT+ youth groups and delivered sessions in schools to tackle LGBT+ bullying and encourage equality with a sexual health charity. I was also the volunteer coordinator for Liverpool Pride in 2018 which was a huge success.