Girl Power Talk’s Post

Happy #Pride Month! 🌈 This is me. For those who don't know, I am a proud queer/gay man, pronouns he/him/his (will respond to any used respectfully). These are my #rainbow accoutrement. 🙂 Why do I have these? I make it a goal to wear a rainbow accessory every day at work. I do this for 3 main reasons: 1. To help give a face to an underrepresented population. 2. To identify myself as a safe space for other #LGBTQIA+ individuals. 3. To show my #pride in a part of myself that some might have me hate. While this month is a time to #celebrate, it is also a time to #reflect on how far we have yet to go. LGBTQIA+ individuals are being discriminated against, attacked (both physically and politically/legally), and murdered simply for being (especially transgender individuals, especially black transgender individuals) According to various sources, the United States does not even rank in the top 10 safe places for LGBTQIA+ individuals to be in. As a country that boasts itself as the "land of the free" this is disgraceful. How are you celebrating Pride month? What can you do to support the LGBTQIA+ individuals in your life? #PrideMonth #Queer #Gay #LGBTQ #Diversity #DEI #Inclusion #Pride2024

"Love demands expression. It will not stay still, stay silent, be good, be modest, be seen and not heard, no. It will break out in tongues of praise, the high note that smashes the glass and spills the liquid." - Jeanette Winterson Pride Month is about unity and collective action. It's about standing together against bigotry, hate, and intolerance. It's about recognizing and recommitting to our shared humanity and ACTIVELY working towards a future where everyone - regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation - can live freely and authentically. At Change Agent, our commitment to inclusion takes a few forms: • Our team has strong LGBTQ+ representation • We constantly train Change Agent’s language model to address LGBTQ+ concerns and use inclusive language.   • Change Agent is trained to use gender-neutral language wherever possible  • We prioritize training data that highlights the experiences and contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals In short, Change Agent is proud that we offer generative AI that’s trained to fight for equality and social justice for the LGBTQ+ community. As Marsha P. Johnson said, "No pride for some of us without liberation for all of us." Happy Pride! 🌈 #PrideMonth #LoveIsLove

🏳️🌈 WHY PRIDE MONTH IS IMPORTANT 🏳️⚧️ As we enjoy Pride Month celebrations, it's important to think about what Pride really means. It's not just about fun parades and parties; it's a poignant reminder of the enduring struggle for equality and acceptance. For many of us, being able to embrace our identity openly is a privilege we often take for granted. For many LGBTQ+ people all around the world, just being who they are can be really risky. They face discrimination, violence, and unfair treatment because of who they love or how they identify themselves. 💡 Let's take a moment to consider the stories of those who live in fear simply because of who they love or how they identify. Imagine the anguish of a young person ostracized by their community for daring to be authentic. Picture the heartbreak of a family torn apart by prejudice and misunderstanding. Think of the kids who got bullied so much for being different and unfortunately took their lives due to lack of support and the immense trauma they went through. These are not hypothetical scenarios; they are the harsh realities faced by LGBTQ+ individuals every single day. Before we jest about the notion of a "Straight Pride" parade, let's pause and reflect on the significance of Pride itself. It emerged as a defiant stance against the forces of discrimination and marginalization. It serves as a beacon of hope for those who have been made to feel invisible and ashamed. Our journey towards true equality is far from over. While we celebrate the progress we've made, we must also acknowledge the work that lies ahead. Let's amplify the voices of those who continue to fight for their rights, both here at home and across the globe. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜 Let's stand in solidarity with our LGBTQ+ siblings, affirming their right to love and live authentically. Together, we can create a world where everyone is celebrated for who they are, regardless of whom they love or how they identify. May the Pride be with you! 🌟 #pridemonth #lgbtq #equality #humanrights #authenticity #inclusionmatters #deib #inclusion #diversity

With Pride Month just around the corner, I'm gearing up for the usual wave of hate against the LGBTQ+ community. It's sad that during a time meant to celebrate love and acceptance, we still see so much negativity. So, let’s clear up some common questions that pop up every year: Q: "Where is my straight month?" A: When you're attacked, not allowed to marry the person you love, or scared to travel because you might be killed for being straight, then you can have a straight pride month. Until then, enjoy your everyday acceptance. Q: "Why is it shoved in my face?" A: It’s not. No one is forcing you to join in. You’re just noticing something that isn’t about you for once, and it makes you uncomfortable. Grow up. Q: "No one cares that you're gay, why do you need to go on about it?" A: Actually, people do care—in a bad way. LGBTQ+ folks are still attacked and killed for who they are. That’s why we celebrate and are proud. Get used to it. Q: "LGBTQ+ is against my religion." A: People interpret religion in many ways, and that’s okay! You can still be friendly to people even if you don’t agree with everything about them. No one is forcing you to turn gay. I'll be sure to add to this at the end of Pride, showcasing some of the comments made by some people. Until then, let's have a great month and remember—you don't need to be LGBTQ+ to take part. Come and be an ally and show your support! #Pride #PrideMonth #LGBTQ #LGBT #EqualRights #June

It’s important for me to be an ally not just during Pride Month, but every month, because I believe in a country that doesn’t discriminate and that treats everyone equally. Being an ally means showing up for people, particularly LGBTQ+ people, and demonstrating our support. People have the right to live and work authentically, whatever that may look like for them. I joined the Human Rights Campaign and proudly display their logo on my car to demonstrate my support, but my allyship doesn’t stop there. Love is love. I—and now my children who are 14 and 11—have several friends, loved ones, fellow classmates, colleagues and AFSP board members who identify as LGBTQ+. I want to bring my kids up in a world that not only accepts people for who they are, but also celebrates everyone’s unique traits and differences. I feel like in many ways, we have regressed in this area and it’s so disheartening to see the negativity and not only a lack of acceptance, but active hatred, against people. We all have only one life to live, so why not let others live theirs? There’s no need to judge or to berate or discriminate against someone when it truly doesn’t impact or affect your own life at all. Just be a good and compassionate human. Actively listen, sign petitions that make sense and request equal rights, show up for people and make it known that you do not tolerate hate or discrimination on any level. If we can all start doing more of this, our country and the world would be a far better place. Please take the time to do your part. #PrideMonth #LGBTQ #ally

There are many commemorations that mark important milestones for queer people and their allies—Pride Month, LGBTQ History Month, Lesbian Visibility Week, and Transgender Day of Remembrance, among others. While these events are often celebrated with communal pride, National Coming Out Day holds a more personal significance. It’s an introspective moment that marks a step in embracing and celebrating who we are. Race, ethnicity, language, religion, culture, gender expression, sexual orientation, and gender identity should never be barriers to living our full lives. Coming out—or inviting someone in—is a deeply personal choice and often a significant part of reclaiming our right to live authentically and publicly. We all deserve the right to live our lives genuinely, completely, and honestly. For me, coming out hasn’t been a one-time event, but an ongoing journey. Growing up, I struggled with understanding my gender and sexuality, questioning who I am and what I want in life. While I wish I didn’t have to come out every day, today reminds me of how far we’ve come—and how much further we need to go. I encourage everyone to take meaningful steps to support the LGBTQ+ community—whether by asking for pronouns, challenging biases, or standing up against discrimination. Genuine allyship is about creating an environment where everyone can live authentically and safely, without fear or judgment. Together, we can build a more inclusive world where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued. #NationalComingOutDay #LiveAuthentically #LGBTQIA #BeKind #InclusionMatters #AskPronouns

It's Pride month. My M.A. thesis researched every day coming out for the LGBTQ+ community. I interviewed two participants and I was included as part of the research. Subsequently, I will be taking workshops into organisations to see how they and we (all of us) can rethink our heteronormative assumptions about others. Unless I say the word gay or wife I am assumed to be heterosexual. Please consider this whenever you (and this includes LGBTQ+) ask a female if they have a boyfriend or a male if they have a girlfriend; they may be attracted to both, they may identify as non-binary or queer or trans or anywhere along the LGBTQ+ spectrum, but unless society re-thinks their assumptions and how we relate to other in our stuck, socially constructed way, real change will never happen. Do you assume everyone is heterosexual unless they choose to come out and correct your incorrect assumption because we have all grown up looking through a heteronormative lens? Heterosexuals, did you ever come out as straight? My research has changed how I am in the world, and how I relate to others as a gay woman, and it has changed how others see me and speak to me. If you're interested in a workshop, please be in touch.

Happy Pride Month!! 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ A few things to think about this month: - Pride can be a BIG word to some.. if you’re still on your journey to feeling proud of any part of your identity then that’s ok. - If you’re not out yet, don’t feel any pressure. It’s important you only do this when you’re ready! - ‘Parades’ aren’t a carnival.. they’re a protest to better elevate lives and rights of all LGBTQ+ communities (they just happen to be the most fabulous protest) - If you attend any events this year, have a reflect on what you can learn that perhaps you didn’t know.. It’s ok to still be learning along the way! - Be careful of ‘rainbow washing’. Really try and understand if businesses are adding rainbows to their Logo’s to seem inclusive, or whether they are actually trying to make headway to better LGBTQ+ inclusion! - Talk to the LGBTQ+ people in your lives this month. Be inquisitive, be open, and be aware they may say no (some people aren’t comfortable sharing or being seen as the ‘teacher’ - that’s ok!) Importantly, be careful not to turn inclusion into intrusion! - Remember that there is a huge difference between inclusion and acceptance. Inclusion is what matters to me, acceptance can often be what you think I want. Hold a safe place to listen. - Why not sign up to an LGBTQ+ news site so you can better your awareness of LGBTQ News topics? PinkNews will send you LGBTQ+ and some other news updates if you sign up here; https://lnkd.in/gpsYhgPp 🩷 ❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜🤍🩷🩵🩶🤎🖤💛💜 #Pride #PrideMonth #LGBTQ

Taking the leap & changing career was inevitable for me as soon as I asked myself those questions - from clothing industry (which I do love but didn't align with my values any more) - to Gut Health Coach (which is so rewarding) - everyone should ask themselves these key questions. Great post! #garmenttechnologist #clothingindustry #fabrictechnologist #guthealth #valuesaligned #findtherightjob

Today is National Coming Out Day! Why is this important? 🚨 🏳️🌈 The vast majority of LGBTQ+ young people still don't come out at school. According to YouGov's sexuality tracker for Brits, 54% of 18-24 year olds say they aren't completely straight. But in so many schools I go into, often with 800-1000+ students, only a handful have come out. 😔 There still exists a strong stigma about being LGBTQ+, partly because of strong, binary gender norms and stereotypes which students police each other with (e.g. boys should be masculine and should NOT be gay, and they should DEFINITELY NOT be trans...). Being LGBTQ+ is seen as incompatible with being safe, socially accepted and respected by so many young people. 🙅 It's so important that parents, carers and other adults don't enforce and reinforce these rigid, harmful gender norms. 💔 So if you can do one thing this #NationalComingOutDay, tell the children in your life that it's okay for them to be whatever version of their gender feels right for them. They can be whatever boy they feel like, whatever girl they feel like, whatever non-binary person they feel like. Their identity is for them to determine, not society's traditional and outdated ways of thinking. 🥹 Let's break the mould and help kids come out and be themselves today! ❤️ Image Source: YouGov, "How Brits describe their sexuality", last updated 31st July 2024 #lgbtq #mentalhealth #parenting