Top 100 Online Influencers; No. 100 UK Pride Power List 2022 , #83 Global Pride Power List 2016, nominated for National Diversity Award 2017, 2018 and 2019 (Positive LGBT Role Model) and shortlisted for inugural Scottish Diversity Award 2017.

Rob McDowall, 37, is a Gourock-born and raised equality and human rights advocate. McDowall, who now lives in Glasgow, has campaigned and lobbied on a variety of equality and human rights cases over the last 18 years, and has contributed to publications such as the Huffington Post, Gaystarnews, The Metro and Commonspace.

Rob has represented and supported vulnerable LGBT asylum seekers over the years and has been highly critical of government attempts to deport LGBT asylum seekers with the advice that they return home and "live discreetly."  He is currently a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and an Associate Member of the Royal Society for Public Health.

Rob petitioned the Scottish Parliament in 2008 to challenge the outright ban on men having sex with men donating blood. Rob led the LGBT Network's petition to the Scottish Parliament in 2009 to achieve marriage equality in Scotland. Rob has worked with the Scottish Court Service at Glasgow Sheriff Court to improve staff awareness of accessibility for disabled people and publicise the assisted hearing technology available within Europe's busiest criminal court, in addition to working with Strathclyde and Tayside Police to improve equality training for police officers and frontline support staff.

Rob has recently been a member of a Scottish Government core group that helped write the charter that will underpin the work of Scotland's new Social Security agency. His current involvement includes being a member of the group that is developing the measurement framework for the new social security agency's work and impact. McDowall is a member of the Scottish Poverty and Inequality Commission Experts by Experience panel.

Rob has a variety of life-limiting illnesses, including chronic pain, Crohn's disease, diabetes, depression, chronic pancreatic dysfunction, and M.E. He is an outspoken supporter of cannabis legalisation.

Photographs Which May Be Used With Attribution