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As an Englishman, a certain amount of natural reserve prevents me from being totally comfortable with the notion of being called a hero. I still can’t quite wrap my head around it. When I think of heroes, my schoolboy mind can’t help but take over and I think of everyone from my personal sporting heroes, English cricketers like Freddie Flintoff, to Alexander the Great, you know, leading his army to victory. Incidentally, considering that Alexander was bisexual, perhaps next year Trevor could honour him in some way, given that no one has actually done more for gays in the military

However… sporting personalities aside, those kind of all-conquering, world-defining heroes are harder and harder to come by as the world gets bigger. Charismatic individuals who use eloquence and passion as opposed to fear and ignorance as the tools they use to shape events are often unable even to be heard above the din of media mediocrity and people-pleasing politicians. But the truth is that a hero is not always the person rallying the troops for battle or leading a march against oppression. A hero is also someone who, in their day-to-day interactions with the world, despite all the pain, uncertainty and doubt that can plague us, is resiliently and unashamedly themself. If you can wake up every day and be emotionally open and honest regardless of what you get back from the world, then you can be the hero of your own story.

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As an Englishman, / a certain amount of natural reserve / prevents me from being totally comfortable / with the notion of being called a hero. // I still can’t quite wrap my head around it. // When I think of heroes, / my schoolboy mind / can’t help but take over / and I think of everyone / from my personal sporting heroes, / English cricketers / like Freddie Flintoff, / to Alexander the Great,/ you know, / leading his army to victory. // Incidentally, / considering / that Alexander was bisexual, / perhaps next year / Trevor could honour him in some way, / given that no one has actually done more / for gays in the military. //

However… sporting personalities aside, / those kind of all-conquering, / world-defining heroes / are harder and harder / to come by as the world gets bigger. // Charismatic individuals / who use eloquence / and passion as opposed to fear and ignorance / as the tools they use to shape events / are often unable even to be heard above the din of media mediocrity / and people-pleasing politicians. // But the truth is / that a hero is not always the person / rallying the troops for battle / or leading a march against oppression. // A hero is also someone who, / in their day-to-day interactions with the world, / despite all the pain, >/ uncertainty / and doubt / that can plague us, / is resiliently / and unashamedly / themself. // If you can wake up / every day / and be emotionally / open and honest / regardless of what you get back from the world, / then you can be the hero of your own story. //

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Each and every person who can say, despite life’s various buffeting, that they are proud to be the person they are, is a hero. Now I do have to mention at this point the real heroes of the Trevor Project, the men and women volunteers, all of whom stand up day after day answering the calls of desperate teens whose circumstances have pushed them to the edge of the abyss. To take that call and say, “Yes, I will be the one who saves this life,” takes such courage and compassion. Hemingway’s definition of grace under pressure seems fitting as the job they do is every bit as important and every bit as delicate as a soldier defusing a bomb. As I said earlier, I think honesty is the most heroic quality one can aspire to, and in that spirit I would like to acknowledge that nothing is more heroic in life than being able to say to another human being, “I'm scared; I need help.” So every person that has had the strength to call the Trevor Project is also a hero, and I would encourage everyone everywhere who is in need of help to make that call. Help is there to be had, but inaction will not bring it closer to you. Speak up for yourself. Remember that yours is a life worth fighting for, and know that when you're going through hell, keep going. Call the Trevor Lifeline. If you think a friend may need help, be a hero for them and give them the Trevor Lifeline number.

Anyway, I will repeat myself once more before I go. Go boldly and honestly through the world. Learn to love the fact that there is nobody else quite like you, and you will be, to plagiarise and paraphrase all at once, the heroes of your own lives. I thank the Trevor Project for this amazing award. Out of everything I have done, I can truly say the thing I am proudest of is my association with Trevor. It is an astounding organisation which saves lives every day, and I look forward to helping in any way that I can for the rest of my career. Thank you very much.

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Each and every person / who can say, despite life’s various buffeting, / that they are proud to be the person they are, / is a hero. // Now I do have to mention at this point / the real heroes of the Trevor Project, / the men and women volunteers, / all of whom stand up day after day answering the calls / of desperate teens whose circumstances / have pushed them to the edge of the abyss. // To take that call / and say, / “Yes, I will be the one who saves this life,” / takes / such courage and compassion. // Hemingway’s definition of grace under pressure / seems fitting as the job they do / is every bit / as important and every bit as delicate / as a soldier defusing a bomb. // As I said earlier, / I think honesty / is the most heroic quality one can aspire to, / and in that spirit / I would like to acknowledge / that nothing is more heroic in life / than being able to say to another human being, / “I’m scared; / I need help.” // So every person that has had the strength to call the Trevor Project / is also a hero, / and I would encourage everyone / everywhere / who is in need of help / to make that call. // Help is there to be had, / but inaction will not bring it closer to you. // Speak up for yourself. // Remember that yours / is a life worth fighting for, / and know that when you’re going through hell, / keep going. // Call the Trevor Lifeline. // If you think a friend / may need help, / be a hero for them / and give them the Trevor Lifeline number. //

Anyway, / I will repeat myself once more / before I go. // Go boldly / and honestly through the world. // Learn to love the fact / that there is nobody else / quite like you, / and you will be,/ to plagiarise and paraphrase all at once,/ the heroes of your own lives.// I thank the Trevor Project/ for this amazing award.// Out of everything I have done,/ I can truly say the thing I am proudest of/ is my association with Trevor// It is an astounding organisation/ which saves lives every day,/ and I look forward to helping/ in any way that I can/ for the rest of my career.<// Thank you very much.//