--- title: "Humanists UK mourns LGBT+ Humanists founding member Tony Challis (1946-2026)" date: "2026-07-15T16:04:52+01:00" modified: "2026-07-15T16:10:45+01:00" url: "https://humanists.uk/2026/07/15/humanists-uk-mourns-lgbt-humanists-founding-member-tony-challis-1946-2026/" post_id: 194397 categories: ["LGBT Humanists", "News"] --- # Humanists UK mourns LGBT+ Humanists founding member Tony Challis (1946-2026) ![](https://i0.wp.com/humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/AJS07167.jpeg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1) Tony Challis pictured right at the LGBT+ Humanist Heritage Exhibition opening at Conway Hall, 2024. Humanists UK is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Tony Challis, a lifelong humanist, dedicated gay rights pioneer, poet, and former humanist wedding celebrant who has died at the age of 80. A warm, passionate, and steadfast activist, Tony spent over half a century fighting for equality. He was a long-time supporter of Humanists UK and a co-founder of LGBT+ Humanists. Tony’s journey in activism began in the early 1970s. After becoming involved with the Campaign for Homosexual Equality (CHE), he joined the Bath Gay Awareness Group in 1972. He was among the brave cohort who marched in London’s second-ever Pride march in 1973. **Reflecting on the stark contrast between those early days of protest and modern celebrations during an [oral history interview](https://heritage.humanists.uk/lgbt-stories/) for the Humanist Heritage project, Tony recalled:** > ‘I went on the \[Pride\] march in ’73, which was only the second London one. And at that time, it was much smaller, and you had police all the way along both sides, and you did have people, both National Front types and religious extremists, sort of abusing you and shouting at you.’ As a gay teacher in the 1970s, a time of intense professional and social vulnerability for gay men due to rising social conservatism, Tony co-founded the Wales and West Gay Teachers Group to support educators facing discrimination. Tony was a key figure in the history of LGBT+ Humanists. He often shared the humorous story of how the group was inadvertently sparked by the conservative campaigner Mary Whitehouse during her [1977 blasphemy prosecution of *Gay News*](https://heritage.humanists.uk/lgbt-humanists/). Whitehouse claimed a non-existent ‘Gay Humanist Society’ was threatening society, which prompted freethinkers to actually establish one. In response, Tony and a small group went about forming such a group at the 1979 CHE conference in Brighton. **As Tony put it:** > ‘We called ourselves “The Children of Mary” in the early days, because in 1976, Denis Lemon of *Gay News* published this poem by a gay guy who was living in Japan, which was really a centurion’s fantasy about the body of Jesus at the tomb. And this caused ripples. Mary Whitehouse took Denis Lemon to court. And apparently, while the court case was going on, she said there were all these awful organisations that were threatening the fabric of society: the gay this, the gay that, and the other, including the “Gay Humanist Society”. And this was the year before the first meeting, and somebody said, “Well, that’s a good idea.” > > ‘…it was because of Mary Whitehouse mentioning this totally non-existent organisation that people actually thought maybe we should get one going.’ ![](https://i0.wp.com/humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/Mary-Child-748x1024-2.jpg?resize=748%2C1024&ssl=1) Illustration from the Gay and Lesbian Humanist magazine, held in the Bishopsgate Institute ![](https://i0.wp.com/humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/GHG-at-demo-in-Nottingham-1986-733x1024-1.jpg?resize=733%2C1024&ssl=1) Members of the Gay Humanist Group at a demonstration in Nottingham, 1986. Courtesy of the Bishopsgate Institute Tony lived his humanist values by serving as a celebrant, conducting deeply meaningful wedding ceremonies for the LGBT+ community. He also valued the international outlook of LGBT+ Humanists, fostering global solidarity, and enjoyed group holidays with fellow members. Even in his later years, he remained active, having contributed to the landmark LGBT+ Humanist Heritage Exhibition opening at Conway Hall in 2024. After moving to Nottingham in 1990, Tony founded Pink Ink, a gay writing group that nurtured local creative talent. He was a dedicated poet, which culminated in the publication of his debut chapbook, *Rainbow Candles*, by Five Leaves in 2025. His poetry reflected on his life as a gay man during eras of profound social change with a trademark quiet, cheerful optimism. Tony will be remembered by all who knew him as a joyful, kind, and intellectually curious man. **Chief Executive of Humanists UK, Andrew Copson, commented:** > ‘Tony was a wonderfully warm, principled, and dedicated humanist whose activism spanned decades of immense social progress. From his courageous participation in London’s second-ever Pride march to his pioneering work as a humanist celebrant and his late-life poetry, Tony lived his values with joyful resilience. He was a pillar of LGBT+ Humanists, and he will be sorely missed.’ #### Notes For further comment, media should contact Humanists UK Head of Press and Campaign Communications Nathan Stilwell at or phone 0203 675 0959 (media only). Read more about [LGBT+ Humanists](https://heritage.humanists.uk/lgbt-humanists/). Humanists UK is the national charity working on behalf of non-religious people. Powered by over 150,000 members and supporters, we advance free thinking and promote humanism to create a tolerant society where rational thinking and kindness prevail. We provide ceremonies, pastoral care, education, and support services benefitting over a million people every year and our campaigns advance humanist thinking on ethical issues, human rights, and equal treatment for all.