Jackie Forster honored with Rainbow Plaque

A new Rainbow Plaque will be unveiled in Westminster on February 26 to honour the achievements of Jackie Forster, a prominent lesbian journalist, broadcaster, actor, and activist, ‘Diva Magazine’ reports. This ongoing initiative, led by Studio Voltaire and the London LGBT+ Forums’ Network with support from the Mayor of London, seeks to spotlight overlooked or forgotten LGBTQ+ history in public spaces.

Known professionally as Jackie Forster and by her birth name Jacqueline MacKenzie, she was a trailblazer in her field, gaining recognition as one of the few openly lesbian figures in mainstream broadcasting during the 1970s, celebrated for her sharp wit. She publicly “came out” in 1969 by joining the Campaign for Homosexual Equality (CHE).

Throughout her career, Forster contributed to Britain’s first lesbian magazine, Arena Three, and co-founded the social group and publication Sappho. She later served on the Greater London Council’s Women’s Committee, curated the Lesbian Archive, and established the group Daytime Dykes.

This plaque will be set at her former residence on Warwick Avenue. Other Rainbow Plaques have honoured LGBTQ+ figures like Oscar Wilde and landmarks such as the Black Lesbian & Gay Centre in Peckham.

Commenting on the new Rainbow Plaque, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “It’s fantastic to see a new rainbow plaque unveiled in Warwick Avenue to celebrate the life of Jackie Forster. These plaques honor the huge contribution that our LGBTQIA+ communities have made, and continue to make, to life in our capital, so it is fitting that we remember Jackie’s significant role in promoting and championing LGBTQIA+ rights. Our diversity is what makes London the greatest city in the world, and we will continue to ensure that everyone feels represented in our public spaces, as we continue to build a fairer and safer London for everyone.”

The selection of Jackie’s plaque followed public nominations reviewed by the Rainbow Plaque panel. The Mayor of London’s Untold Stories Fund, as part of his Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm, supports this plaque, with additional backing from Wandsworth Oasis.

Anne Lacey, Forster’s partner, remarked: “This is a fitting tribute to a wonderful woman and a great character in the history of LGBTQIA+ rights. Jackie spent the last half of her life working unceasingly for LGBTQIA+ rights and visibility. From the day she ‘came out’ at Speakers’ Corner in 1969, she fought for the celebration of the word lesbian.”