Matthew Todd is renowned throughout the LGBT community, having become the best-selling author of ‘Straight Jacket: Overcoming Societies Legacies of Gay Shame’ and is now known as one of the UK's leading voices on mental health. He took on the role of Editor in Chief at Attitude Magazine, the UK's best-selling gay magazine. When booked as a speaker, he speaks upon how growing up ‘in the closet’ can affect mental health and encourages others not to suppress who they truly are.
At the start of his now celebrated career, Matthew worked for the British gay rights organisation Stonewall. In 1996, he joined Attitude Magazine and was appointed Editorial Assistant before advancing to Deputy Editor of Attitude. Respected throughout the business, Matthew became the co-creator of the Attitude Awards and the Attitude Pride Awards. Developing a positive reputation throughout the LGBT community, Matthew took a monumental step in his career and was able to issue the Royal Family's first statement against homophobic bullying by Prince William.
Best-selling author, Matthew is best known for his book 'Straight Jacket: Overcoming Societies Legacy of Gay Shame' which was the UK’s first book on LGBT mental health. He shares his experiences within the LGBT community and the book has been described as ‘an essential read for every gay person on the planet’ by Sir Elton John. Recognised for his admirable career, Matthew has received several awards throughout his career including three British Society of Magazine Editors’ Editor of the Year Awards, Stonewall Journalist of the Year, Best LGBT Book of the Year and Freedom of the City of London for Services to the LGBT Community.
Matthew Todd has become a highly sought-after keynote speaker for both corporate and after-dinner events. As a passionate advocate for LGBT rights, he has spoken for companies such as Lloyds Bank, Redbull, PayPal and Barclays about the importance of inclusion in the workplace to spread awareness about these issues on a much larger scale. When booked as a speaker, Matthew shares his opinions on mental health, alcohol addiction, LGBT issues and diversity.
Books
Straight Jacket: Overcoming Society's Legacy of Gay Shame
Pride: The Story of the LGBTQ Equality Movement
How to hire Matthew Todd
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Matthew Todd for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do not accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
"When I first mentioned we could potentially get Matthew as a speaker there was so much excitement – his books have had an impact on so many. Matthew invested time getting to know the team before the event, and discussing tone/content to make sure it mapped to our expectations and how we wanted to present our talk to our wider LGBT and Ally communities. It went down so well that one of our clients who was listening booked Matthew speak at their LGBT event. I went along with that and the content was tailored and varied. Again the audience was captivated by his presentation. I hope we can have Matthew back to speak soon!" - Melanie, KPMG
"Matthew was the highlight at our Inclusion Festival, hands down. He was engaging and inspiring, speaking eloquently, openly, and honestly, about his sexuality and lived experiences of overcoming a range of difficult issues some gay men encounter" - Anne, Royal Institute British Architects, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Lead
"We booked Matthew to speak to our LGBTQ+ staff network during Pride Month in 2021. He delivered an engaging, interesting and deeply moving talk on the effects of discrimination and hostility on people who are LGBTQ+. While clearly a serious topic, Matthew put the audience at ease and really highlighted the importance of community and making connections." - Dorothy, NHS
"We had the pleasure of working with Matthew on a webinar for International Men’s day, looking specifically at how gender roles impact men’s mental health. The session was extremely engaging and received great feedback from our colleagues. Matthew perfectly struck the balance between personal experiences with subject matter expertise, creating content that was both informative and relatable. We wouldn’t hesitate to collaborate with him again in the future." - Karl, Lloyds Banking Group
‘I just wanted to drop you a note to thank you very much for joining us for our Pride Lunch & Learn yesterday to celebrate Pride Month at Red Bull! I have had so many positive comments following the session with people saying it was incredibly informative and educational and it landed brilliantly!’ - Ashley, Redbull
"Matthew brought such a wonderful and passionate perspective. Our audience feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend booking him to speak" - Shane, Chair of Archway, Network Rail’s LGBT+ employee network
"We had Matthew as a speaker for a recent virtual event for a corporate client as part of their Pride week activities. The discussion with Matthew was insightful, engaging and thoroughly enjoyed by all participants. We had such positive feedback from all the staff on what a great event it was! I would highly recommend Matthew and would promote his discussions to all of our clients!" - Derbhla, FUEL
- 2017- Attitude Pride Award
- 2016- BSME Scoop of the Year Award
- 2015- BSME Editor of the Year Award: Men’s Brand
- 2011- BSME Editor of the Year Award: Men’s Brand
- 2011- Stonewall Journalist of the Year award
- 2008- Deputy Editor of Attitude
- 1996- Joined Attitude Magazine as the Editorial Assistant
- 1990- Worked for the British gay rights organisation Stonewall
