To celebrate Pride 2024, we are focusing on “Every Day Pride”, the daily experiences of LGBTQIA+ individuals in all aspects of their lives. For this special Pride edition of Inside Edelman, we profiled members of our global community to highlight their unique experiences and point of view as they reflect on what it means to be LGBTQIA+ within the firm and beyond.
What does "Everyday Pride" mean to you?
My understanding of Pride has evolved over the years. As a kid growing up in rural Canada, it was always a sign of hope and optimism. These were days before the internet and my only real exposure to the community was through coverage of the AIDS crisis and Hollywood stereotypes. Pride coverage provided a rare glimpse into a community in which I knew I belonged.
Over the years, Pride became a yearly break from a society that expected everyone to be straight. One week a year, where queerness was everywhere, and we were not in the minority. It was a time to hang out with friends and to celebrate our identities, boldly and without apology.
Today, I have a more complex understanding of Pride, and I see it as a mix of celebration and duty. We have made a lot of progress in the struggle for inclusion and justice, and there is a lot to celebrate, but we still have a lot of work to do. Even with our advances, some of the most repressive anti-LGBTQIA+ laws in history have been enacted in recent years.
Everyday Pride is the responsibility I feel to support the next generation and to honor those that fought for my rights. It means living authentically in all aspects of my life to enhance visibility and representation. It also means advocating for those who may not have found their strength yet, and continuing the fight that started at the first Pride so many years ago. It’s about keeping that beacon of hope alive.
In your opinion, are non-LGBTQIA+ allies fully aware of the obstacles faced by LGBTQIA+ individuals? How can they raise their awareness?
I think most people, whether they are allies or not, have some sort of understanding about the challenges that LGBTQIA+ people face, but I don’t think they appreciate how much it impacts their own lives.
Take the gender rights debate for example. Opposition forces are politicizing queer identities for votes and weaponizing so-called traditional values to spread misinformation and fear about the community. This may feel like a nuanced discussion affecting a small community, but it represents an attack on everyone’s right to self-expression, self-determination and personal autonomy. If we let ignorance, fear, and bias dictate human rights, we weaken protections for everyone.
The LGBTQIA+ plus community doesn’t expect that everyone is an expert on the issues we face, but we do expect that you will fight to protect the fundamental human rights we are all entitled to. There is a fight playing our right now in elections around the world, and by standing up for our rights, you stand up for your own.
Can you share any positive examples or best practices you've seen in the workplace that effectively support LGBTQIA+ employees?
There is a scene in Ted Lasso where one of the characters comes out of the closet to his teammates. Not surprisingly, they respond with versions of statements that most queer people have heard countless times, “We don’t care”, “It changes nothing”, and “You’re still the same guy.”
Coach Lasso steps in, delivering a line that transcends mere indifference. He says, "We do care, you know? We care very much. We care about who you are and what you must’ve been going through. But hey, from now on you don’t have to go through it all by yourself.”
The scene offers an important message about what truly fosters a supportive and inclusive workplace. It emphasizes that success, both on and off the field, hinges on a foundation of empathy. To me, one of the most impactful things we can do is create room for people to tell their stories and to show sincere curiosity and interest in each other’s life journeys.
What is something about Pride Month that brings you joy? Is there an event or activity you look forward to every year?
This is simple. The best party of Pride is friends, no matter if it’s a Pride BBQ at someone’s home, an activity in the Village, or a celebration on the beaches in Toronto. Friendships play an outsized role in many queer lives, and we often consider each other family. Pride is like a fun family reunion, in an environment where we can really live out loud and celebrate our identities.
How do you find ways to celebrate your identity on a daily basis?
Like many queer people, I have spent a lot of my life actively "masking" or concealing parts of my identity. There are many reasons we do this, and they are deeply personal, but for me it was always about avoiding harm. I worried that being too gay at work would affect my career, or being too gay on the street would affect my safety.
Today, celebrating my identity daily means not compromising. It means correcting people when they refer to my husband as my ‘partner,’ not lowering my voice when I answer the phone, and not editing my stories about the weekend. These might feel like small acts, but for someone who has spent a lifetime being cautious about what they say, they’re meaningful.
What advice would you give to young LGBTQIA+ individuals who are just starting their careers?
Find your people. Whether you are queer or straight, you will do your best work when you have a network of peers that you can trust and lean on. Find allies in the company, especially in positions of leadership, and never discount how much they will show up for you when you need it. Or as Ted Lasso would say, "The best teams are the ones that play for each other, not just with each other."
Greg Vanier is the National Crisis & Risk Lead for Edelman Canada.
