LGBT+ History Month is here and our dedicated colleague Co-op Pride group want to take this opportunity to talk to colleagues about the awareness month and share some of their journeys. Read on to learn more!
Promoting and celebrating equality & diversity
LGBT+ History Month takes place every February and is a month-long celebration of LGBT+ history and the history of gay rights and related civil rights movements. It aims to promote and celebrate equality and diversity. The first LGBT+ History Month was celebrated in the UK back in 2005 but since then growing to have a different theme each year. The theme this year is Politics in Art: ‘The arc is long’ celebrating a very exciting, vibrant, informative and celebratory month to educate out prejudice and make LGBT+ people visible in all their rich diversity.'
Did you know that’s LGBT+ History Month also has its own YouTube channel with a wide range of videos available, including the online launch of LGBT+ History Month, interviews with prominent LGBT+ people, and personal stories of coming out and facing prejudice?
Read a colleague story from our very own Ziad K – Administrator Childcare.
A Step Away from the Pavement – Ziad K
I saw myself in every colour of the flag, every tribe and person who marched amongst them. There they were in all their glitter and glory unashamedly themselves, proud and out. I would often wonder what that felt like. To be able to walk around and be at one with the gay community. To live a life where I didn’t have to worry about the confines of an arranged marriage or which cousins would be chosen for us as a conquest for a flourishing life together. I would go over the stories in my head of what I would say if someone saw me bordering the lines of Soho, what excuse would I make up and how will I justify being present in a place I had no business of being.
I would settle with the well-planned excuse that I decided to go home a different way than I usually would and Act like I never knew that gay pride was happening. Act raged at how much of a total inconvenience it was and tut every now and again to make it sound like I was genuinely angered by the whole thing. I worked at the Imperial hotels on Russell Square for years since 2001 so a slight detour past Soho would not be too far fetched. Turns out I never had to lie about my whereabouts and despite the amount of openly gay men I knew who attended the fabulous festivities none of them ever saw little old me there. I was invisible to the crowds so there was never any need to concoct such lies. In fact, the only person who recognised me in the crowd was me.
In the laughs, the music, the whistles. Each and every person was a version of who I wished I could be but was too scared to. I was aware that there was a place where I belonged, a safe place that would accept me for who I am and for what it was worth the two minutes it took to walk from one end of Compton street to another was enough to fill my heart and maybe added a little more acceptance and self-worth of my place in this world.
My own version of the yellow brick road, a new world of bright colours where my red nail polish would blend right in. One of the hardest things about coming out was plucking up the courage to proclaim that I am gay and not being ashamed to do so. Growing up in an Arabic Muslim household, those words held such connotations with one of them being fear. The general narrative held by myself and the world is that being Muslim & Gay are not compatible and the two wouldn’t be able to coexist in harmony. Also that my parents, family and friends would disown me. I held this in my heart for 30yrs. Until one day I spoke my truth. And how wrong I was. My parents love me. My friends adore me and my faith has kept me.
Not only was I out and proud but I became full of colour just like the flag, sparkled just like the glitter I saw as a young kid and instead of passing by London pride as I did when I was young I was also able to march with my fellow Co-op colleagues on the streets of Birmingham Pride showing people who looked like me that they too can walk in their truth and there is a world full of colour, hope and happiness and they too can take a step away from the pavement and march with us along the road of love.
Coming Soon - Pronouns
Co-op Pride are excited to announce that pronouns will be available for display on colleagues name badges and email signatures (should a colleague wish to) in the coming months!
Why are pronouns important?
Inclusive language creates inclusive workplaces. By everyone sharing their pronouns it makes it easier for someone who is gender non-conforming to share their pronouns.
Gender pronouns are words that a person uses to describe themselves or would like others to describe them. For cisgender people, the common pronouns are she/her/hers or he/him/his. However, people who do not conform to the binary male/female categorisation may use they/them/theirs, or a combination.
Pronouns can also be helpful for colleagues with non-gendered names and can prevent the embarrassment of colleagues being misgendered.
By including pronouns in email signatures and on name badges Midcounties will bring awareness and demonstrate inclusivity internally and externally and show consideration and respect that pronouns are an important part of gender identity.