Jake Hallas shares his experience of coming out at work – the challenges and the highlights.
During the month of June, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month (LGBT Pride Month) is celebrated to honour the 1969 Stonewall riots and to recognise the ongoing fight for equal rights and equal opportunities for the LGBT+ community. I wanted to mark this occasion by sharing my story.
I’ve known I was gay since the early years of secondary school and so I guess did everybody else! There was never a day that went by that I wasn’t subjected to some sort of bullying. Whilst everyone assumed I was gay it was not something I felt willing or able to deal with through school, especially as my older brother came out when I was 16 which made me feel guilty for my family and put me under pressure to stay in the closet.
I joined Rolls-Royce in September 2006 aged 16 as an engine fitter apprentice and later as a fitter at the Production Test Facility (PTF). The environment was male-dominated and macho and again I still didn’t feel comfortable coming out although the questions and comments never really disappeared either. The ‘banter’ was as you might expect in the environment and did at times add to my discomfort in feeling unable to be my true self.
After a few years on the shop floor I thought a move into a different role would make it easier to be myself and so I moved to become a Programme Controller. Early on and having told my family and friends (who couldn’t have been more supportive) I told a couple of trusted colleagues that I was gay. It then transpired that my manager had found out and had outed me to my team without my knowledge. My first reaction was of shock and anger but having time to digest the situation, and reflecting back, although I knew that was wrong, it did me a favour and meant I didn’t have to have the awkward conversation with people…