I am someone who has always felt ‘different’ for reasons both visible to the outside world, like my appearance or my non-English surname and heritage, and those that only become obvious when I interact with others, such as my sexuality, and being a bit socially awkward due to neurodivergence and mental health challenges. I’ve put ‘different’ in quotation marks as I am referring to the heteronormative, neurotypical, and mentally healthy view of society as ‘normal’, although I am aware that this is changing. As I know how lonely and sometimes traumatic it can be to be excluded for these ‘differences’, I have been passionate about using my voice to raise awareness for marginalised and sometimes misunderstood groups of people. By de-stigmatising and discussing more of these ‘differences’, we can move towards an environment where acceptance and appreciation can allow us to all be at our best.
As a pansexual (or just ‘not straight’) woman working at Rolls-Royce, I have received mixed reactions across my career. The majority have been positive and accepting of this part of my personal identity and being able to be open about this has allowed me to connect more deeply with other LGBTQ+ colleagues. However, I have also received some more negative or uneducated responses, with some colleagues choosing to ignore or invalidate this aspect of my identity due to my relationships with heterosexual men. I have also received comments around the idea that bi or pansexuality is just a cover to make a woman more appealing which both fetishises this element of sexuality and invalidates your personal identity. I believe these opinions still need to be challenged, and the education and open discussion culture encouraged by Rolls-Royce is such an important forum to be able to do this.
I am extremely grateful to be given the opportunity to get involved in the great work that Prism does. I love taking part in Pride events and to raise awareness and acceptance practically within the community. I also find that LGBTQ+ events, formal or informal are the best place to start discussions and bring education to a wider audience, as well as provide a chance to raise money and support for LGBTQ+ specific charities.