Pride in a time of Crisis
It has been a difficult year, and Pride is being recognized a little differently in 2020.
Instead of marches in the streets, Pride will be celebrated remotely around the world, as the LGBTQ+ community and allies find ways to connect beyond the restrictions of COVID-19.
But it is more than a celebration. Stonewall reported that more than a third of LGBTQ+ staff in Britain (35 per cent) have hidden that they are LGBTQ+ at work for fear of discrimination. In the US, it is almost half.
We asked our LGBTQ+ colleagues a series of questions as part of a dialogue that begins with Pride month. Common themes emerged, including racial justice, the importance of inclusivity and how far we still have to go.
Why is Pride important to you?
“LGBTQ+ people and rights are under attack in so many places. Visibility and celebration is vital.”
“It’s important to remind people that we’re still fighting for equal rights and that we’re not nearly there yet.”
“Pride is important every year — none more so than 2020 with the current conversation in the USA about systemic abuse and injustices still so pervasive.”
“Pride is both a celebration and a protest to me. Even in 2020, there are still huge numbers of LGBTQ+ people who don’t have the support they need, or who are suffering needlessly at the hands of others for how they choose to identify or who they love. To march in solidarity with my queer family every year to increase the visibility and acceptance of our community and to continue the fight for equality is one of the most important things I can do.”
How has FanDuel supported LGBTQ+ employees?
“FanDuel is the one company I have worked for that has actively included LGBTQ+ team members, and what I appreciate is that as a company we continue to strive to have CONSISTENT pride and diversity.”
“FanDuel made and distributed Pride stickers last year and let me put them on my work laptop. I felt supported and visible.”
“Teams are open, accepting and engaged. We hire against our values and it shows.”
What’s one thing you wish people knew about the LGBTQ+ community?
“We are not a monolith, we are a broad community of individuals with radically differing views and outlooks on many things. The commonality is a shared goal of equal opportunities and rights.”
“Being LGBTQ+ means you have to come out over and over and over again. No matter where you are, there’s always someone new to “come out” to, because being cis and straight is the expectation.”
“Similarly to Black Lives Matter and other movements, it’s not just about empowering specific groups. It’s about equality and celebration for all.”
For many of us, Pride represents a mixture of fight, determination and hope. We celebrate the gains we have made, and continue to push for equal rights and treatment across the world.
It is vital to us at FanDuel that we champion Pride and support our LGBTQ+ colleagues. But we know we need to do more. It starts with reaching out to the LGBTQ+ community within FanDuel and engaging in meaningful discussions. Understanding the struggles, recognising and overcoming our own biases and assumptions, and doing all we can to foster an environment of inclusion and respect for all.
The discussion of racial injustice, too, cannot be ignored as we engage in these issues. FanDuel has pledged to support the NAACP and any team members who chose to engage in peaceful protests. LGBTQ+ Pride and racial justice go hand in hand. No one is free unless all of us are free.
*This article is the first in a series we are running for Pride Month. All quotes come from FanDuel employees and are non-attributed in the interests of privacy. Photos from Unsplash.
