Pride Month honors the successes of LGBTQ people and the decades-long fight for equal justice. In addition, Pride Month raises awareness about giving equal opportunities to LGBTQ talent at schools, colleges, and workplaces. The LGBTQ community celebrates Pride Month in June each year.
The LGBTQ community has made significant contributions to the tech industry. Pioneers like Alan Turing, Peter Arvai, Jon Hall, Tim Cook, Hayley Sudbury, and Megan Smith are some prominent names among the LGBTQ talent.
The courage shown by these tech leaders helped other members of society to create a safer space for the LGBTQ community. Today, several companies offer an inclusive environment for LGBTQ talent.
Turing also believes in providing a safe platform for everyone, irrespective of gender identity and sexual orientation. And so, the company offers an inclusive workspace for the LGBTQ community to learn new skills and grow their careers.
This blog post shares a few inspiring stories of Turing’s LGBTQ employees.
Speaking about the most challenging part of coming out, Romulo Espinosa, Designer for Developer Success Team, Turing said: “The challenge was to come to terms with my sexual orientation. I was scared that people would look at me differently once they knew I liked men. But once I accepted myself for who I am, the people I loved did the same.”
When asked how he came across his sexual orientation, Romulo said: “Like other boys in my teenage years, I too dated girls. Also, I was curious about boys and men, so when I started going out with boys, I soon realized that I liked boys more. At first, it was not easy for me to accept the attraction toward boys. A friend who was openly gay had a loving family, inspiring me to come out to my family at 19. Soon I was out everywhere, my parents loved me for who I am, and I accepted myself openly.”
Romulo also touched upon the culture at Turing. “I like how inclusive and diverse the culture is at Turing. I love my frequent interaction with my team during happy hours. I do not have to hide anything and can talk openly about my partner,” he explained.
Romulo also added: “Turing makes employees feel like an important part of the organization. Turing is a safe space for LGBTQ talent. Developers can learn new skills and grow their careers. The Turing team also uplifts LGBTQ voices by hosting events like #PrideAtTuring. Such events show that Turing is a truly inclusive space for all employees.”
On being a queer in the tech world, Romulo said: “I would like to see a more equal world. A world in which companies include members of the LGBTQ community on merit. Everyone in the world should have a workplace environment where they can truly be themselves. Such an environment will inspire others to come out and live their true lives. I think Turing is helping us create that world.”
Rakel’s Pride Story
Rakel Cogliatti
Speaking about her initial years and coming out, Rakel Cogliatti, Senior Learning and Development Specialist at Turing, said: “Growing up in a Brazilian Catholic family, the possibility of having a same-sex partner seemed impossible to me for many years. After turning 27, and being in a serious relationship with my partner, I decided to come out to my family. The process was scary as I thought my family wouldn’t accept me. It was easier for me to come out to my friends as they already accepted my sexuality.”
Rakel also touched upon prejudices against the LGBTQ community in society. She said: “The most aggressive form of prejudice I encountered was while searching for apartments. Whenever my partner and I went out searching for an apartment, they would reject us. We had to visit 12 apartments before we got our place.”
Rakel expressed the importance of a safe environment for the LGBTQ community, whether at the school, workplace, or home, and how Turing offers the same. She explained: “I feel fortunate to work at Turing because I don’t have to worry about my sexual identity. I can be myself and discuss things apart from work during the weekly happy hours. One day my colleagues wanted to meet my wife during our call, so I asked her to join us, and it was such a sweet moment. I believe every workplace should be as inclusive as Turing.”
Rakel further added: “Every member of the LGBTQ community understands the importance of a support group. Turing is building a diverse workplace free of bias and discrimination to offer strong support to the LBGTQ community. The Turing community is helping developers navigate and grow in their careers, regardless of gender or race. I am very proud to be a part of this community and help LGBTQ developers build their tech careers.”
Samuel’s Pride Story
Samuel Sinzza
Speaking about his first day at Turing, Samuel Sinzza, Senior Developer Success Specialist from the Developer Success Team, Turing said: “I remember coming out to my colleagues on my first day at Turing. I showed them a picture of my boyfriend and me. Everyone was so accepting. I knew Turing was the right place for me.”
Samuel further added: “Turing has a multicultural team with different backgrounds. However, despite the diversity, no one feels judged. The open and inclusive environment provides a good atmosphere for members of the LGBTQ community.”
On being a queer in tech, Samuel expressed: “I would like to see more LGBTQ talent in the tech space. The LGBTQ community still faces a lot of discrimination in the physical workplace. With an inclusive remote work environment like Turing, we can help people feel more comfortable.”
Samuel also added: “At Turing, regularly, I see that so many developers get life-changing opportunities. They make great careers regardless of their sexuality and gender. #PrideAtTuring is an event that is helping developers get such life-changing opportunities and celebrate their unique identities.”
Speaking about his initial years Hass, Senior Manager of Global Communities at Turing, said: “Childhood was tough. I didn’t fit in and struggled to make friends. I discovered a passion for theater in my teenage years, and the theater community felt like a safe place to come out.”
Hassan added: “As I grew older and gained more confidence, I started studying gay rights, which led to my first role as an editorial assistant at Gay.com. After a few years, I went to work for Grindr, an online dating app for LGBTQ. I helped Grindr develop its employer brand. Given the nature of their business, it was difficult for them to hire senior-level engineers. So, I developed a solid strategy to help them attract, engage and retain top talent.”
“During the pandemic, I was at a career crossroads, so I took a course in product management. I started working with HOUSE, a community of queer and trans people of color thriving at the intersection of tech and culture. This job gave me a safe space to form lasting friendships with people from other identities.”
About Turing, Hassan said: “When I joined the Turing company, I liked the culture and how well-functioning the organization is being remote-first.”
On celebrating Pride Month, Hassan noted: “I love celebrating Pride Month. Pride may seem like a superfluous expression of euphoria and sexual freedom to some people. But the LGBTQ community faces a lot of challenges and rejection at home, at work, and in society. Pride Month is a way of celebrating our differences and overcoming adversity. That’s why we host events like #PrideAtTuring to support and guide developers and promote true friendship at the workplace.”
Yes, absolutely! Turing offers a safe and inclusive workspace for the LGBTQ community to learn new skills and grow their careers. If you are a developer looking for a long-term, high-paying US software job, visit our Apply for Jobs page! Turing helps developers build high-growth careers with top US companies, not just one-time gigs.
FAQs
1. Which month is Pride Month?
June is Pride Month. Pride month honors the 1969 Stonewall uprising in Manhattan.
2. What day is Pride Day?
June 28 is celebrated as Pride Day every year.
3. What does PRIDE stand for?
PRIDE stands for Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Diversity, and Excellence.
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LGBTQ Community in Tech: Inspiring Pride Stories at Turing
Description
The LGBTQ Community celebrates Pride Month to raise awareness for LGBTQ people. This Pride Day, Turing.com is celebrating its LGBTQ members and their stories.
Ashwin is a content writer who has written several content types and has worked with clients like IRCTC, Hero Cycles, and Fortis Healthcare, among others.
