Celebrating Pride Month

What does Pride Month mean to you?

It’s a time where the importance of supporting and protecting LGBTQIA+ people is thrown sharply into focus.

Laurida: For me, Pride Month is a very joyful time of year. It’s a time where the importance of supporting and protecting LGBTQIA+ people is thrown sharply into focus. I think it’s also a balancing act of celebrating how far things have come for many people in many places, while also acknowledging ways in which things are moving in a non-inclusive and prejudicial direction or simply not being good enough.  

I love how people from the community are more visible and confident at this time of year (certainly in the UK) and I’m very lucky to live in a part of the world where I feel safe in public with my family almost all the time.  

David: I can’t really say it better than Laurida – championing progress made for LGBTQIA+ rights while acknowledging the ample work left to do, not just to keep advancing but also prevent steps backwards, as we’re seeing in many parts of the world, even in the UK. Obviously, we should always feel comfortable talking about these topics at all times of year, but having a whole month dedicated to Pride helps focus the mind of everyone. Pride events are also a rare opportunity where I don’t have to check around me before I hold a partner’s hand or make other displays of affection that those who aren’t LGBTQIA+ might not ever think about – I’m looking forward to just being able to relax and feel fully ‘myself’ without worrying about any potential negative reactions from others.

What made you want to get involved with the Pride Staff Network?

Laurida: I was involved with setting up an LGBTQIA+ staff community group at my last place of work, where there wasn’t a lot of support or visibility for people from the community in that office. When I joined Cambridge University Press & Assessment 18 months ago, I was keen to see if a similar network existed here. I always enjoyed the meet-ups we had and found it was a really good way to get to know people as a newbie, especially with something so personal in common! I started off by being part of the Committee and was then asked to join David as co-chair a few months ago.

David: I’ve always felt comfortable being open about being gay at work, and I want to try and make sure as many other people as possible can feel the same way – using your own positive experience to try and create a space for those who might be more vulnerable or feel less comfortable felt like a good way to help support the wider LGBTQIA+ community.

On top of that, I wanted to get involved to meet people with similar shared experiences. I’ve made connections with so many people from across the wider organisation who I wouldn’t otherwise have made contact with – if nothing else being part of the network means there’s always someone to have lunch or a coffee break with, and I’ve also learnt a lot more about other people's experiences and perspectives that I would never have heard without the network.

What are some of the Network's biggest achievements?

David: Our main achievement has been building a network that creates a safe space for colleagues around the world to gather and be their authentic self in the workplace. The experiences of LGBTQIA+ people vary massively, and we’ve tried to create a space where we talk about all sorts of different topics – from issues around parenting to mental health to LGBTQIA+ role models. We’re still very much in the early stages of this journey, and there’s plenty of work still to be done, but I think laying the foundations to build on is really something worth celebrating.

As well as creating a safe space for members, we’ve also helped shape different parts of the organisation’s policies and products to ensure they are as inclusive as possible – being able to see the difference the network is making to the wider organisation feels very empowering and I look forward to the network being able to provide more feedback and advice as we grow.

As well as creating a safe space for members, we’ve also helped shape different parts of the organisation’s policies and products to ensure they are as inclusive as possible.

How is Cambridge marking Pride Month this year?

Laurida: We have a busy calendar of events this year, with a series of panel discussions and coffee catch-ups in collaboration with fellow Networks in the organisation. We’re also sponsoring Cambridge Pride (17 June) for the second year in a row, and we have the opportunity to have a presence alongside Cambridge University Network members at Pride in London (1 July).  

David: We’re also excited to unveil our new Intersex-Inclusive Progress Pride Flag – for many years we’ve flown the ‘classic’ 6 stripe design, but since then the design has evolved to highlight particular groups facing challenges in the LGBTQIA+ community. We’re hoping to preserve the original flag either in our on-site museum or archive in Cambridge as part of our LGBTQIA+ history at Cambridge University Press & Assessment.

What are the Network’s current priorities?

Laurida: The main aim of the Pride Staff Network continues to be to advocate for LGBTQIA+ inclusion at Cambridge University Press & Assessment and providing help, support and advice to individuals who identify with or who are allies with LGBTQ+ identities.

Outside of Pride Month, we do this by hosting twice-monthly coffee catch-ups throughout the year on a variety of conversation topics, and by responding to different queries for support from Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (EDIB) and other teams in the organisation with regards to products and communications. We are members of the Stonewall Diversity Champions Programme which brings access to support and resources at an organisational level. 

David: Our other big aim is to grow the group to reach as many LGBTQIA+ staff as possible – some LGBTQIA+ people might argue that their gender or sexual identity isn’t relevant to their work, but every single person’s unique identity impacts their experiences at work. As we grow bigger as a network and reach more colleagues around the world, we’ll be able to do more as a group and have a larger impact across the organisation.

Some LGBTQIA+ people might argue that their gender or sexual identity isn’t relevant to their work, but every single person’s unique identity impacts their experiences at work.

How do you work to raise awareness around issues affecting the LGBTQIA+ community?  

Laurida: Personally, I like to read up on news and updates shared by people (both inside and outside of work) and then discuss them further with others. I think much of the strength of the LGBTQIA+ community is how many word-of-mouth connections there are. It’s a great way to find other areas of common interest with people who share that space, as well as reaching out to allies in the process.

David: There’s a huge range of content out there – I try to share whatever good things I read or watch online with others when I think it might benefit or interest them. Inside work, many of our network events are intended to encourage wider engagement and participation from our members, and those conversations can often spark ideas for future events or topics to focus on at different times of year. Depending on the nature of the issue, we might also share network concerns directly with senior leaders or work with them to come up with resolutions to particular challenges and issues.  The network can provide the voice of our members and feedback on policy changes where appropriate.

What advice would you give to individuals wanting to become a better ally to their LGBTQIA+ peers?

Step one for being a better ally in any context is always to educate yourself.

Laurida: Firstly, I’d say come and share spaces with us! There’s a difference between speaking for people whose experiences you don’t live with, versus taking part in conversations and events alongside them and speaking up with them.

Secondly, for me the best allyship comes from people who listen to the needs and thoughts and experiences of those within a marginalised group; rather than assuming knowledge from a (questionable) third-party source. If you’ve read or heard something that you aren’t sure about or that you think is worth dissecting, approach someone from the Network (or all of us!) and get a conversation going to see how people actually feel.

David: Step one for being a better ally in any context is always to educate yourself – taking time to learn about different identities, experiences and issues, whether in books, articles or online will help you better understand the challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community – this extends to actively listening and learning from those around you, as well as respecting their lived experiences.

A key piece of advice to remember is that without someone telling you, you can’t just assume someone’s pronouns, gender, or sexual identity. Just because someone tells you they have a partner who is a particular gender doesn’t tell you anything about their sexuality, for example. It’s ok to politely ask questions if you need certain information like pronouns, though usually I’d suggest sharing your own in this scenario, but in general I’d just wait for the information to come through when the person sharing feels comfortable to share it.  

The other thing to keep in mind is many LGBTQIA+ people will share information differently if they perceive you as a ‘safe’ person to speak to – in a work context especially many LGBTQIA+ people will hide their identity to protect themselves. Doing things like sharing your pronouns when meeting someone new, speaking up when you hear someone saying something out of line and encouraging others to get involved in different staff networks or EDIB initiatives are all ways of potentially demonstrating your allyship to others, who might then feel comfortable opening up to you a bit more.

We believe that the diversity of our workforce contributes to our success. Our Pride Staff Network is one of twelve global staff networks celebrating and advocating for diversity, inclusion and belonging across our organisation.

If you’re looking to learn more about LGBTQIA+ histories and experiences this Pride Month, take a look at some of our Cambridge University Press titles on a range of issues and topics.