EarnIn’s Post

Today is #NationalComingOutDay. Coming out rarely happens just once for those in the #LGBTQIA+ community. So here we go. I’m a first-generation Italian-American, part of Gen X, a husband, and a father of two boys. I’m also proud to be a gay man. But that’s just one part of my story. So many intersections make me who I am today, including all my professional experiences. For many in the #LGBTQIA+ community, coming out isn’t a single event—it’s an ongoing journey. Each new conversation and setting brings a decision: How much of myself do I share? In the workplace, even casual questions like, “How was your weekend?” can spark that moment of hesitation. We weigh whether it feels safe to respond truthfully—about who we spent it with and our lives. For years, I hesitated and censored parts of my life out of fear. I remember when saying, “My husband and I…” was something I avoided in professional settings. But with time, courage, and support, I’ve embraced sharing my full self. The freedom of not having to edit or hide those important details of my life feels empowering, giving me a stronger sense of belonging. This isn’t the reality for everyone, especially in workplaces that may not fully embrace or understand the importance of inclusion. That’s why days like today are so important. They allow us to reflect on the support we offer #LGBTQIA+ individuals—whether as colleagues, friends, or family members. Are we creating environments where they feel celebrated and safe to be their authentic selves? It’s not enough to claim inclusivity; we must show it through our decisions, workplace policies, and daily interactions. When we speak openly about our loved ones, we aren’t just sharing parts of our lives—we’re declaring our right to be seen and accepted as we are. To anyone who’s still navigating their journey, whether you’re out, coming out, or not ready yet—know that you are seen, valued, and never alone. Your story matters. Your presence strengthens all of our communities. In a world that still encourages silence, know that your voice and visibility matter. When you’re ready, your courage to live openly helps others find their own strength. Together, we can build a future where no one has to question whether they belong—because inclusivity is something we create through our actions, not just words. Be the change that ensures everyone can live their truth and thrive everywhere.

The first time I experienced bias and racism, I was 20 and looked like this. I lived in Paris, dating a Tunisian guy. Keep reading: It's about you and your workplace. Police would stop us for no reason. Store staff trailed him with suspicion—until I joined him. He was used to it. I wasn’t. Privileged, naïve white girl was SHOCKED. The unfairness of the microaggressions and his anxiety from that infuriated me. I'd call it out. Loudly. He'd beg me to just keep quiet. I was mad he didn't stand up for himself. But I get it now: He was exhausted. Later in life, I fell in love with a woman and suddenly I was the target of bias, prejudice, judgmental looks, questions, unsolicited opinions. Loosing privilege hit me hard. I fought back with all I had: Became a spokesperson for LGBTQ+ youth Joined the board of Pride Shared my story publicly, at schools, and on TV. After five years, I burned out. Resigned from everything. Got quiet. Stopped fighting. I too was exhausted. Bias, whether rooted in racism, homophobia, or ableism, is deeply woven into society. If you’ve never had to navigate life as an outsider: had your perspective, identity, culture, way of speaking or presenting yourself questioned, you’re lucky. In fact - you are me in that picture. Blissfully unaware of the advantages that privilege gives you. But here’s the hard truth: 💥 That unawareness isn’t harmless 💥 ➡ It hurts people ➡ It exhausts us ➡ It silences us ➡ It makes us feel like we don't belong But it could be different. At least at work. Becoming aware of the experienced barriers to inclusion at work, what to do, and not do, just has to be easy and inexpensive. Or it won't happen. That's why I am channeling everything I’ve got into InklusioNordic: We develop powerful, short, engaging, and enlightening training videos in the Nordic languages. We equip your organisation with practical tools for meaningful dialogue and awareness that foster true inclusion and belonging. The videos feature personal stories of experienced barriers at work from people that are neurodivergent, LGBTQ+, or from a different ethnic / cultural background than the majority. You learn from THEIR stories. And you are provided tools to better discuss, understand and include the diversity surrounding you at work and beyond. Is it worth it? Let’s check the numbers: 👉 20% of the population are neurodivergent 👉 7–10% of the population identify as LGBTQ+ 👉 15% of the Scandinavian population have non Scandinavian ethnic or cultural origin So YES there is a clear business case in engagement, retention, productivity, sick days and stress. It concerns A LOT of your employes. Do you want to champion this agenda together across the Nordics? Do you want true inclusion as a core value at work? Visit us: https://lnkd.in/egrmSh35 Sign up for our newsletter -or book a meeting with me to discuss options for your organisation to be a partner / sponsor of this project.

Some thoughts regarding #pride month in Japan Occasionally I encounter people in the Tokyo Tech scene who feel the need to loudly proclaim their opposition to the LGBTQIA+ community. I'm not looking to name and shame anyone, because that just leads to people digging in. However, I would like to address some of the arguments I hear: 😤 "Stop bringing in Western values to Japan!" Oddly, this is often expressed in English 😱, and ignores the long history of homosexuality in Japan. Even the Tale of Genji, written in the 11th century, describes such relationships! The Western values brought in via the Meiji restoration directly influenced Japan's first ban on homosexuality.[1] 😤 "I don't want to be forced to use pronouns!" Okay, I get that nobody wants to be commanded how to speak. On the other hand, if someone were continually calling you by the wrong name, would you be cool with that? Calling people in the way they would like to be addressed is a simple thing we can do to show respect. If you aren't sure about pronouns, you can ask. If you make a mistake, apologize and move on. Still not comfortable? Simply use the person's name. Notice that in Japan we pick our own first person pronouns. Maybe you are a 私 or あたし or a 僕 or the bold 俺. Pronouns are everywhere, even beyond the second-person singular 😉 😤 "Pride used to be fun, but I don't support transgender identities" Trans people are some of the most marginalized of all under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella. We have trans people in our community that moved to Japan because they feel threatened in their home countries. When I attended Gay-straight Alliance meetings in the mid 2000s, I had trouble understanding why people would be trans. But when I got to know these people better, and saw the (sometimes life or death) challenges they faced, it was clear: there is no way people are doing this for attention. They just want to live their lives. Modern science shows gender is beyond a binary, too. Despite appearances and colorful rainbows, Pride is not a party or a corporate parade. Remeber, "Stonewall was a riot."[2] Being an ally isn't about wearing a colorful t-shirt. It's about supporting the most vulnerable. It's a continual practice, and not a destination. It's okay to be confused. It's okay to have questions. It's okay to not be perfect. Nobody is trying to make you live this lifestyle. But we can have empathy for folks in our community facing hardship, as of us really know what it's like to be in someone else's shoes. You don't have to agree with all of it, but please don't make people's lives harder out of ignorance. Mercari, Inc. published an awesome training video a few years back. Take a look: https://lnkd.in/gdcniUNb Sources: [1] Japanese LGBT Diasporas: Gender, Immigration Policy and Diverse Experiences, Masami Tamagawa [2] https://lnkd.in/gDjqrzNx #lgbtqia #japanDiversity #inclusion #bekind #tokyoTech

Don't miss Sara Kedge MBA at the upcoming OutConnect LGBTQ+ Business Summit in London! As a respected DEI Design Thinking Strategist, Coach, and Trainer, Sara combines curiosity and playfulness with deep expertise. She guides teams to shift from stress to fostering human-focused cultures that value critical thinking and people.  Join us on Wednesday, 5th June at IET London for Sara's workshop on “Work ethic or worth ethic? Why your worth isn’t in your work.". The lie starts in childhood: work hard, and you’ll be rewarded.  Along the way, we lose touch with ourselves. No wonder the UK is the second least happy place on the planet. Our highest value as a nation is on hard work, but statistics on workplace burnout show that we’re getting something deeply wrong. Work ethic tells us that our value lies in how much we produce for other people – and what they think of us as a result. People who don’t fit into the neurotypical box feel that outside-in evaluation all the more acutely.  Often LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent people are ‘over achievers’. Even if this doesn’t show up in pages of qualifications, or volunteering on top of multiple jobs it is present in all of us. Silently and secretly doing additional emotional, intellectual and physical heavy lifting. Just to get through the day.  Because it has been ingrained into us from very small. If only we tried a little harder to ‘fit in’ we will ‘get there’.  What if, instead of pouring our time and attention (the most finite of resources) into work, fitting in and getting there we redirect them into what matters most: our needs, our wants and our desires.  Instead of plugging into the work ethic culture, how about building your own WORTH ethic, from the inside-out?  Aligning everything in your world with your core values.  Focusing your time and attention on what is important to you.  Learning how to discriminate and say no to the things that no longer serve our core selves.  When you do, you’ll get clear on what really matters to you. You become aware of the things that do not bring you joy and your focus is redirected to removing frictions from your life. You start to value your time and attention as the finite depleting resources they are and how to give the bulk of your time attention to them.  When you do, It’ll change your life.  For tickets and more information, visit: https://lnkd.in/eJZ8QUzb #OutConnect2024 #LGBTQBusiness #CorporateDiversity #SaraKedge #supplierdiversity, #socialvalue #belonginbusiness

Meet Davide, team member at our Soho branch and author, and listen as he shares his experience about working at Busaba being part of the LGBTQIA+ community, what drew him to the company and the culture of Busaba. What was it that first drew you to Busaba? "My experience with Busaba started on 15th September, thanks to Deniz Dogan, who encouraged me to join the team. I will never stop thanking her, she is really important to me. The main thing that attracted me from the start was the difference in cultures of those who work there: each person coming from different parts of the world gave me the opportunity not only to be culturally enriched, but also to get to know common stories of other people who have left their loved ones to seek a better future." Would you say Busaba is an inclusive place to work? "From day one, I have felt that feeling of being part of a home, part of a family, because that is what you build with those you work with. Every day, for example, there is a continuous exchange of different ideas, of stories of sacrifices, of dreams that are being built. And it is really important to appreciate each other." How much would you say Busaba is a supportive and encouraging company to work for? "Busaba is not only a supportive company but also a place that I feel calls home. And I, being an author, would recommend it as a place to come and write or read, accompanied by a good tea, a great atmosphere with Thai overtones. Encouraging? That is too reductive an adjective. Busaba makes you feel loved, special, unique." How does Busaba and your team make you feel supported? "From the very first moment, the team supported me to be myself. And I am really learning a lot from them: thanks to Mark, I am learning that life is unique, precious and that you have to face challenges with positivity. Thanks to Deniz, I have discovered a friendship of support, love, loyalty. Thanks to Seyhan, I learnt to be more confident and courageous. Thanks to David, to be professional in the workplace. Within a short time, where I also brought a bit of Italian culture (this amuses me so much, I swear!) it made me feel appreciated, accepted, especially because my sexual orientation did not define who I am. And this makes me realise that, outside Italy, where there is still a strong presence of prejudice against the LGBTQ+ community, there are places, places and above all people who do not make you feel wronged by society. Thank you, Busaba, for giving me this chance." #Busaba #EmployeeAppreciation #BusabaSoho

As we celebrate today 20 years of the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), I can't help but draw a parallel with my personal experience, from a place where back in the days, conversations around inclusion were simply not a topic, and “fitting in” was pretty much the only acceptable norm. Today and despite all the challenges of a polarised world, our journey towards inclusion in the workplace has seen undeniable progress. But even if we’ve come far, our journey is far from being over! This is why we need to bring allyship to the next level : true inclusion is simply not possible without allies. Their actions are critical when it comes to actively challenging biases, stereotypes and creating a safe space for diverse perspectives. Their impact could be compared to a magnifying glass : it amplifies the underrepresented voices of minorities in the workplace, making them more visible and to some extent, broaden their reach by adding some extra relatability. So never underestimate your impact as ally! By demonstrating empathy and understanding, you are fostering a sense of belonging which is the anchor of a culture where everyone feels valued, respected and empowered to succeed. As we celebrate 20 years of IDAHOBIT, let's remember that “alone we can do so little, together we can do so much” and recommit ourselves to strengthening allyship in the workplace ... and beyond. Carrie Adams Eleonore Murauer susan egstrand Sarah Jane Hawkes Pascal Montilus #idahobit #allyship

𝙑𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙈𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙛𝙪𝙡, 𝙑𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝘿𝙚𝙢𝙪𝙧𝙚: As Communications Associate at Waypoint Intercultural, LLC I create our upbeat, vibrant newsletter, often weaving in pop culture references that celebrate communities I care about. Last month, I highlighted Jools Lebron, a trans woman I’ve followed on TikTok for years, and featured her popular phrase, "very demure." Unexpectedly, this led to backlash. A reader interpreted "demure" as antagonistic, feeling it mocked them. Initially, this felt like a message telling us, as Black queer/trans people, to "stay in our place." I wanted to react defensively but instead sought advice from my boss, who gave me the space to reflect. Considering my reaction, I realized culture can profoundly shape how words are perceived. In Ballroom culture—a deeply rooted LGBTQ+ subculture—the word "demure" holds a powerful, subversive meaning, often reclaiming beauty and ladylike qualities. However, in another context, this word might feel restrictive. Curious, I invited the reader to a Zoom chat. In 20 minutes, we both gained new perspectives. She hadn’t encountered Ballroom culture or TikTok and came from a different background where "demure" felt oppressive, not empowering. This experience taught me about the value of assuming good intent, seeking common ground, and fostering connection through intercultural competence. When approached with curiosity and humility, conflict can deepen understanding—and one person at a time, contribute to the change we hope to see.

TRANS AWARENESS WEEK – STILL LOOKING FOR A SPEAKER ? 🎤 Trans Awareness Week is just 2 days away ! On the surface, it’s a week dedicated to raising visibility and awareness about transgender people, learning from their experiences, and understanding the unique challenges they face.  The aim is to promote understanding, encourage allyship, and combat stigma and discrimination towards trans individuals. But let’s go deeper.  This Trans Awareness Week let’s think also about creating a society where ALL of us, whatever shapes & shades we come in, are respected, supported, and able to live authentically, without fear or prejudice. The gift trans people bring to us all is their commitment to embracing their authenticity in a way that is powerfully visible and public, & there are important lessons we can all learn from that.  It takes a certain type of courage to step out into the public, so vulnerably, risking humiliation, shame, & persecution, and that courage really should be honoured because that journey, in search of authenticity, is so not easy. But all of us exhibit bravery & courage, each in our own ways – sometimes visibly, sometimes not.  Trans people like me don’t have a monopoly on bravery or courage, though ours can be much more public. So this Trans Awareness Week, let’s 100% celebrate & honour trans people and their courage, & not rest till we’ve broken down all barriers & misunderstandings that exist in our society. But let me suggest we use it too as a springboard for all of us, to find our own courage to push through self-doubt, challenge our own limiting beliefs, and claim our own authenticity, & to live lives that reflect our deepest values, a journey that our trans brothers & sisters so powerfully model for us all. So let me ask, over this next week (Nov 13-19), if your event is still in need of a speaker, I’m here with my hand up.  I’d love to share my story and experiences, to help promote understanding of trans people & our journeys, to help break down barriers, and to inspire and motivate EVERYONE - to live their truth ! If you know of any events with a spot for a speaker, let’s connect ! Love Bobbi ❤️ Wisdom speaker | Transformation Coach | Trans Woman | Model #WomenWhoWantMore #InspirationalSpeaker #MotivationalSpeaker #DiversityandInclusion #PersonalDevelopment #BobbiSpeaker #Brisbane #Inclusion #Diversity #GenderDiversity #TransAwareness #BookASpeaker

The "iceberg" of organisational Allyship  During Pride Month, allyship has been top of my mind, especially as I am about to take on institutional leadership of Hallam’s EEDI agenda. Joining our LGBTQ+ communities at the first Kelham Pride march at the start of June was a joyful thing to do. But allyship must go deeper than this especially in the current context in the UK of our lowest ever ILGA-Europe score for LGBTQ+ rights and equality, no doubt related in part to the lack of progress on banning conversion therapy. More broadly, persistent systemic inequalities and a rise in hate crime against people across all protected characteristics means that it is more important than ever for us all to be determined allies. A wonderful colleague of mine (yes you Julie Hulme!) has embedded in her email signature “ally is a verb not a noun” and this impacted me greatly - allyship should be active, and consistent. It should be about being an active bystander and challenging or reporting inappropriate or threatening behaviour. It should also be about taking time to learn about and understand others’ experiences, perspectives and identities. I found a fantastic image online of “the iceberg of allyship” – the visible, above water aspects being the sometimes performative and relatively unimpactful activities – the true impact coming from the much larger, underwater element. It is these more “hidden” activities – the systematic and long-term approaches to allyship - that really make a difference to the lives of underrepresented groups in our communities. As the leader of a large organisation, I’ve been considering the concept of organisational allyship: how do we work in a systems-based way to dismantle barriers in order to collectively deliver inclusivity? What sits “below the waterline” and is truly capable of moving power to those whose voices may not be heard? Whilst I absolutely recognise that developing inclusive policies won’t, in itself, change people’s behaviours, the way we do this and engage our communities in collective, active allyship absolutely can. Like many of you, I have a responsibility as a leader to change not just myself but the organisation which I lead for the better.    Pride month is a great stimulus to consider all types of allyship. These conversations must continue, and part of being a good ally is being open to being reminded of this. So yes – attend events and go to marches. But also consider how you can contribute more “underwater”, and really make a long-term difference. PS Twiglet also enjoyed her very first Pride as you can see by the picture!