This year, the call went out again for LGBTQ members of the UA community to participate in the 2021 Zips of Pride poster. I was on the fence about that again this year, but only because I had been slightly disappointed in the number of actual LGBTQ members vs. allies on the poster. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But, I realized that if I didn\u2019t participate, I would be further skewing the ratio. So, I signed up for a date\/time to get my photo taken next week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Friday, I was on a video call with a colleague and we were going through some reporting and website updates – the usual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As we were wrapping up, they asked if we could talk about something not work related. I said sure and they told me that they had seen the email about the call for the poster and had seen last year\u2019s and noted that I was on that poster. They then told me that at the last two jobs they had been at, they would have been fired for coming out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And then they asked me my thoughts on being on the poster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I thought about it for a moment and then told them I had been on the fence last year – that it\u2019s one thing to be out to close co-workers and another thing to be out to the \u201cold white guys\u201d.\u00a0 I said that I felt comfortable with my colleagues and decided that since this was the first thing that had really been really supportive of the LGBTQ community at UA in a while, that I felt like I should participate since it might help other people too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I then told them I was going to be in this year\u2019s poster – and mentioned that having more of \u201cus\u201d on the poster sends a stronger message than just the allies. (The allies are great, but, really, everyone at UA should be an ally.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They were really relieved and thanked me for my insight. I don\u2019t know if they are going to be in this year\u2019s poster – but I think I helped them at least be more comfortable being themself at UA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Two pride parades, getting married to my fella, and now – gay role model?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Did not see that coming.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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