Every year at this time, I like to share my thoughts on the continuing relevance of Pride Month; you can read my posts here from 2021 and 2022. This Pride Month, we’re going to share insights from the Scott Logic team on what Pride and allyship mean to them, and why they value working in an inclusive environment.
I’ll get the ball rolling.
What does Pride mean to you?
I’ve been asked this many times over many years, and I guess for me these days it’s pretty simple. For me, Pride is about being who you are, accepting who you are, and being proud of who you are. And it’s about being accepting of difference, accepting others and making space for them to be proud too.
Sometimes that means celebrating. Sometimes that means speaking up and stepping in. Sometimes that means fighting for justice. Sometimes that means being quiet and making space.
Pride, to me, is also one hell of a party. 😉
What does it mean to work for a company that recognises and celebrates our differences?
For me, it is everything. We’re a UK-wide company serving businesses all over the globe, and reflecting the communities we live in is important to me because it shows first hand our understanding and appreciation of inclusion and diversity (and not just LGBTQ+).
Our differences make us stronger, so knowing that we recognise and celebrate difference makes Scott Logic a brilliant place to work. It allows us to channel that strength into the work we do for our Clients. In all our offices, we strive to create an inclusive environment where every colleague is treated with respect and values the contribution of others, so they can show up 100% every day.
What does it mean to be a good ally?
I think good allies educate themselves and are curious about the experience of others. They demonstrate respect and acceptance, by listening and learning from others who have a perspective or experience that is different from their own. Where they can, they amplify the voices of those who might not assume a seat at the table, and importantly they turn words into actions – speaking out and standing up to discrimination and injustice wherever and whenever they encounter it.
As an ally, you won’t always get it right. I don’t. But committing to doing better, and actually doing better, is what counts. Although I identify as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I am also conscious that I am a white, cis-gendered man. I am aware that I have biases, I make assumptions and I enjoy privileges that necessarily don’t reflect the experiences of others. So, it’s important to me that I reflect on when those things are getting in the way and adjust for them, being open to feedback when I get it wrong, and putting the work in to learn from my mistakes.
Last year, I had the privilege of hosting an event called ‘Remember, Resist, Rise Up’ which explored these topics in more depth. We had an exceptional group of panellists who spoke authentically, movingly and often hilariously about the progress we’ve made as a community, the urgency of fighting to preserve and extend our hard-won rights, and about the importance of allyship. You can watch the video here (helpfully divided up into chapters so that you can navigate between questions) – I hope you enjoy it and that it inspires you to celebrate, commemorate and be an ally.
Happy Pride 2023.
Steve (he/him)
