The world’s first Rainbow Hall of Fame

Many people around the world have made important contributions to changing the
view of LGBTQ people and have been pioneering in strengthening LGBTQ rights or in
combating discrimination against LGBTQ people.

For the first Rainbow Hall of Fame gala on 10th November 2025, Stockholm Pride has selected eleven people from Sweden and different parts of the world who will be honored.

Stockholm Pride has chosen people who have, in different ways, brought the fight for LGBTQI people forward: Through activism, politics and art. The fight can be done in different ways, and inspire younger generations to step into their shoes and continue the work. This is also important because regular history books rarely mention our community, so it is important to ensure that our history is preserved before it falls into oblivion.

At the gala evening these individuals will be inducted into the Hall of Fame:

• Vanja Södergren, born 1947, Sweden, Category – Activism Initiator of Europe’s first Pride
parade in Örebro in 1971
• Tom of Finland (born Touko Valio Laaksonen, 1920–1991), Finland, Category – Culture LGBTQ cultural icon and artist
• Marsha P. Johnson, (1945–1992), USA, Category – Activism Initiator of the Stonewall riots
in New York in 1969
• Elisabeth Ohlson, (1961–2024), Sweden, Category – Culture Photographer behind the
world-famous Ecce Homo exhibition
• Fredrik Reinfeldt, born 1965, Sweden, Category – Politics Former prime minister who,
among other things, pushed through same-sex marriage and abolished the forced
sterilization of transgender people, and changed his party
• Orlando Montoya, (1952–2021), Colombia/Ecuador, Category – Activism Activist who
fought against police brutality against LGBTQ people, for the decriminalization of same-sex
relationships and for the rights of people living with HIV
• Barbro Westerholm, (1933–2023), Sweden, Category – Politics Abolished the stigma of
homosexuality in Sweden in 1979 as Director General of the National Board of Health and
Welfare, then fought for LGBTQ rights as a member of parliament
• Pepe Julian Onziema, born 1980, Uganda, Category – Activism Activist who fights
discriminatory laws and oppression in a country that has introduced the death penalty for
homosexual acts
• Gudrun Schyman, born 1948, Sweden, Category – Politics Party leader and trans-inclusive
feminist who has long been a champion for LGBTQ rights
• Mona Sahlin, born 1957, Sweden, Category – Politics Party leader who has worked for
LGBTQ rights for decades
• Samra Habib, born 1981, Pakistan/Canada, Category – Culture Photographer and author
who promotes LGBTQ rights in the Muslim community

Since the fight for the rights and living conditions of LGBTQ people has been going on for a long time, not all those who have been inducted are still with us: They will be represented at the gala by someone from their family or associates. Those who are still alive will be there in person.

Published: 22nd October 2025

Categorised in: For the Record