Being LGBTQ+ in the Workplace - Steph Preston
Hi! Firstly, can you start by telling us a little bit about yourself and what you currently do?
Hey, I’m Steph! I’m non-binary and currently work as a Digital Marketing Apprentice at Blue Zoo Animation Studio. For anyone with younger siblings or children, you might recognise a few of our shows - we do all sorts, including The Adventures of Paddington, Pip & Posy, and Alphablocks/Numberblocks!
What have your experiences been like being a part of the LGBTQ+ community in a work environment?
For the most part, they’ve been quite positive. I got quite lucky with my first job because it was at Lush (the store with all the bath bombs and overwhelming smells!) and everyone there is really accepting. There were definitely some difficulties to presenting and identifying as non-binary though; in particular, I remember a few instances when I was at the front of the shop greeting customers, and people would film me without consent, or would be sat with their friends laughing at me. It was difficult, but the management and supervisors were so supportive and helpful in allowing me time for myself or to work in another part of the store.
There have definitely been some challenges that are common everywhere I’ve worked, except for my current company. I’d almost become desensitised to the misgendering that happens on a daily basis in customer-facing roles. I would just accept the laughs and stares from strangers, and wouldn’t correct them on my pronouns, out of fear of being seen as argumentative or confrontational.
It was like a breath of fresh air when I started working at Blue Zoo; the entire studio is supportive and welcoming, and there are people from all backgrounds. There was already a big focus on inclusion and diversity when I started, but since then I’ve helped to further this even more. We now actively encourage the use of pronouns in Zoom names and email signatures, and every single person I have interacted with has respected my pronouns and welcomed me.
How have you found being a part of the LGBTQ+ community in your general life?
It’s certainly been a journey! I was bullied throughout both primary and secondary school, which definitely didn’t help while I tried to figure out my place in the world. Since leaving school, and going to college then into an apprenticeship, people have gradually become more accepting. There’s still the stares, the laughs and the pointing, but I’m finally at a place where I can brush them off. Despite that, I’m confident and comfortable in myself, and recognise that I don’t need anyone’s validation for my identity to be real.
What has been your experience with regards to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion when choosing your career path? Have you been encouraged or discouraged to join an organisation due to press, policies, etc?
When I worked in retail and hospitality, it didn’t really affect my choices much. There were definitely some companies that were more openly accepting than others, and some that pushed diversity but didn’t back it up in-store.
In terms of finding my current role, and roles going forward, it was, and will be, a major factor. Having seen the good, the bad and the ugly, I now know that I can have certain standards and expectations when it comes to looking at potential employers. One of the things that attracted me to Blue Zoo was their evident and tangible dedication to DEI matters, particularly those affecting LGBTQ+ employees. The first thing that made me realise this was that everyone I had contact with throughout the application process had their pronouns listed in their email signature; while it’s a small gesture, it showed that the company genuinely cared about standing alongside trans+ individuals and supporting them. Each of their pronouns was also hyperlinked to a blog article on Blue Zoo’s website that detailed why they include their pronouns, as well as other measures they take to support queer staff. I’ve since had the chance to update the blog, and to extend this guidance from email signatures to Zoom display names, etc.
While it’s easy to see some companies just paying lip service to DEI issues, I would definitely say it’s worth doing your own research and finding out what actions they take to implement this in everyday operations.
The theme of this year's LGBT+ History Month is “The Arc is Long '' inspired by a Martin Luther King Jr. quote: 'The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice. Do you feel this is reflective of the LGBTQ+ community’s journey thus far?
Up until this past year or two, I would’ve said yes, but I’m not so sure anymore. We seemed to be making slow but sure progress in terms of achieving similar/equal rights to the cisgender and straight community, but this has drastically declined in the past 5 or so years. We were finally given same-sex marriage, and the addition of gender reassignment/gender identity to the list of protected characteristics, but that’s where it stalls. Here in the UK, under Conservative rule, we are actively being stripped of our rights and access to healthcare.
With waiting lists for gender clinics reaching 5+ years, and our right to self-identification and equal recognition being diminished and prevented, how can we truly believe that justice and equality are inevitable? As much as I’d love to be optimistic about our future, right now it’s looking incredibly bleak.
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