Paris Lees is a pioneering British writer, journalist, and broadcaster who has become one of the most influential voices in the UK’s media and cultural landscape. Born in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, she has used her platform to challenge societal norms, advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, and promote diversity and inclusion across various industries.

Paris made history as the first openly transgender woman to appear in British Vogue and later became the magazine’s first trans columnist. Her groundbreaking work extends to broadcasting, where she was the first trans woman to present programmes on both BBC Radio 1 and Channel 4. Through her journalism, she has contributed to major publications including The Guardian, The Independent, and Vice, often focusing on issues of identity, equality, and social justice.​

In 2021, Paris published her debut book, What It Feels Like For a Girl, a hybrid memoir-novel that offers a raw and unflinching look at her teenage years navigating gender identity, class, and trauma in early-2000s Nottingham. The book has been praised for its candid storytelling and is being adapted into an eight-part BBC drama series, with Lees herself involved in the production.

Beyond her writing and broadcasting achievements, Paris is a sought-after speaker on diversity and inclusion. She has worked with organisations to improve media representation of transgender individuals and has been recognised with several accolades, including topping The Independent on Sunday’s Pink List in 2013 and receiving the Positive Role Model Award for LGBT at the National Diversity Awards in 2012.​

On social media, particularly Instagram, Paris shares insights into her personal life, professional projects, and advocacy work, engaging with a broad audience and fostering conversations around inclusivity and representation. Her multifaceted career and commitment to challenging stereotypes continue to inspire and effect meaningful change within British society and beyond.​