National Coming Out Day
Louis Jameson
DE&I Manager at Lloyds Banking Group| Disability SME | Inclusive Design Advocate
Today is #NationalComingOutDay. By sharing our experiences we can educate others and hopefully give someone who is questioning or scared the support to come out, if they want to.
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Coming out for me was a long twisting journey and I’ve found this article hard to write.
Carving out a single theme to share (it could be a book), but also because there are lots of aspects that I’m not comfortable sharing in the public domain.?
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Having grown up with no LGBTQ+ role models and any references to being gay negative, it was so eye opening to join Lloyds Banking Group . I found myself in a safe space, where others were openly gay and it was all fine. There were colleagues sharing their experiences and hearing these positive stories, coupled with active allyship at work really helped me to sort out the confusion I had in my own mind.
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Karl Wilson was the first person I came out to in work, sat in the Gresham Street coffee shop. I noticed that he used male pronouns for his partner and this was enough for me to tentatively share that I thought I might be gay. I felt super awkward and whilst I don’t remember the specifics of that chat, I remember this being a key experience that led to another positive step in my journey. Karl remains a good friend and helped me over the couple of years that it took for me to cover off my whole coming out journey. Not that you ever stop coming out, it just gets easier and matters less as it isn’t to your nearest and?dearest.
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The journey has been bumpy, but a number of colleagues have been there and taken the time to talk to and support me through, whether that was sharing fears, feeling really depressed about it all or just struggling to function. Wendy McGuinness was my manager through the hardest period and did so much to support me, I’ll stop there before I get too gushy, but Wendy I haven’t forgotten!?
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A workplace culture where everyone can be their authentic self, with colleagues that are active allies allows everyone to thrive. I have no doubt that if it wasn’t for this culture my journey would have been much harder, or perhaps I’d be suppressing who I really am and trying to conform.
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There are times/audiences where I don’t actively disclose my sexuality, but at Lloyds I do not feel that this is ever necessary. I can be Louis, gay, blind and valued for just being me!
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I will look to share more of my experience in the future and if you’re having a hard time with your own coming out journey, things will get better and there are lots of great people in the world who want to support you with that.
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#ComingOut #Pride #Stonewall
Building propositions that help firms unlock value from their cash management eco-system.
4 个月Fab story Louis Jameson - thanks for sharing here. If you ever hit a bump on the road again, know there are a great number of us who’ll happily help you drive a steamroller over it.
Disability Consultant/Trainer
4 个月What an inspiring post Louis. Well done for sharing I know you still found it hard to tell some people at times but you are who you are. A fantastic human being .
Living my best life
4 个月Oh L’Amigo, your strength and resilience whilst you were going through months of your own personal hell never ceased to amaze me. I remember it as if it were yesterday. As well as the daytime anguish and sleepless nights though, we had some brilliant times, fun and laughs ?? I was then, and will always be, so incredibly proud of you Louis. I’m privileged to have been your colleague and your forever friend ??
Group Gender Equality & LGBTQ+ Inclusion Lead, Lloyds Banking Group
4 个月Love this Louis thanks so much for sharing and can completely appreciate why you’ve found it hard to write. Karl Wilson you’re an amazing role model and wonderful person, and am not surprised in the slightest that our wonderful Wendy McGuinness was so supportive and a rock!