Katherine Gillespie Sells

Katherine 'Kath' Gillespie Sells MBE is a psychotherapist, writer, disability rights campaigner and LGBT rights campaigner from the United Kingdom. In 1990, she founded REGARD, a national, volunteer-run organisation of disabled lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender people.[1]

Career

Sells was a ward sister at Barnet General Hospital when she became disabled as a result of a splinter in her finger, which led to septicaemia, a multi-day coma and the loss of the finger.[2] This led to spinal thecal arachnoiditis that put her in a wheelchair. She re-trained as a teacher, completing a Certificate in Education at Middlesex University. Sells was Joint Head of Training with Jane Campbell (later Baroness Campbell of Surbiton) at Disability Resource Team in Camden.

Works

She co-authored:

  • The Sexual Politics of Disability with Tom Shakespeare and Dominic Davies
  • She Dances to Different Drums.

Recognition
  • Stonewall Hero of the Year 2010 (nominated)
  • MBE for services to disabled lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the Queen's Birthday Honours List (2011)[3]

Personal life

Gillespie Sells was born on 3 February 1951.[4] She has three sons, one of whom is singer/songwriter Dan Gillespie Sells. Her marriage ended while her first two children were young and she came out as a lesbian. She raised her children with her ex-partner Dr. Dilis, who was the biological mother of another son, and coparenting with her ex-husband.

References
  1. "Disability campaigner Kath Gillespie-Sells to lead London Pride". PinkNews - Gay news, reviews and comment from the world's most read lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans news service. 1 July 2011. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  2. "Relative Values: Dan Gillespie Sells and his mother, Kath". The Sunday Times. 18 May 2008. ISSN 0956-1382. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  3. "London: Queen's Birthday Honours". BBC News. 11 June 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  4. "Dan Gillespie Sells on X". 3 February 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2023.


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