I remember one particular day last year. My then two-year-old ran up to me, hugged my legs, and shouted “Baba!”. It’s the name he’s always used for me. Not Mum. Not Dad. Just Baba. A word borrowed from other cultures and languages. A word that holds so much of who I am: non-binary, navigating parenthood, leadership and, now, the menopause.
My story
When I was young, I never came out at work. I didn’t know how to, until one day I grew in confidence and developed a friendship with my then manager. I knew she was a safe space for me to open up. One day, I shared with her that my partner was indeed a girl.
It doesn’t sound like a big deal as you read it. But imagine telling someone you trust a personal truth that certain people would want you dead for. I knew she would be supportive – but across the world, people are attacking our community for simply loving someone, or wanting to be the person we feel we are inside.
Fast forward a few years, and I was one of the leads of an ERG group. It was an incredible experience to help share our stories across the business, a business which had an incredible gay woman at the head of one of the brands and a wonderful ally at the helm. However, corporate life was still difficult, as not everyone was as welcoming as our leaders. Some people have hidden homophobias they hide within jokes or comments they make to others.
This is the reality for so many of us.
Now, I’m one of the lucky ones. I have a platform, a voice I am confident to use, and a supportive community around me. But this Pride Month, I can’t help thinking about the people who don’t. The ones working in companies that have quietly pulled back on their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) promises without any consultation. The ones watching the world get louder in its resistance to progress. The ones hoping someone in leadership, especially HR, will notice and step in.
HR leaders have the power to steady the ship.
The rise of resistance
We’re seeing a rise in anti-DEI rhetoric from budget cuts to accusations of ‘wokeness’. That’s not just a PR or policy issue. It’s a people one. Real people are feeling the consequences: exclusion, exhaustion, and erasure. And when organisations go quiet or reverse course, those feelings deepen.
Companies are making sweeping decisions about who uses which toilet without looking inward and asking their teams how it affects them. Companies who have usually confidentially stood by their transgender employees are now leaving them with nowhere to go to complete a basic human task. How is this happening?
HR leaders have the power to steady the ship.
Corporate leaders of allyship: Lessons from Lush
Let’s not kid ourselves: being visible still matters. When brands like Lush, Levi’s, Apple and Converse continue to show up, not just during June but all year round, they’re not just selling products. They’re setting a tone. Donating to LGBTQ+ charities, showcasing queer talent, taking the hate and staying loud anyway. That matters. Not because it’s perfect, but because it’s consistent.
Incredible examples shine brightly in a world that is dimming for the LGBTQ+ community. Lush who, after recent trans attacks, immediately created a trans safe space, launched a Gender Affirming Care policy and partnered with Trans-led groups Transactual and MyGenderation have stood firm with their support and terminated their Download festival partnership.
This was announced after Download revealed that they were removing access to the men’s toilet for trans men and the same for the women’s toilet for trans women. Lush has since removed the co-branded products from its website too.
This is how you stand by what you say. Allyship, after all, is a verb.
You don’t lose by standing with your people. You lose by staying silent.
Starting your allyship journey
If you’re wondering how your business can genuinely be an ally, don’t start with the rainbow logo. Start with your people. Your policies. Your decision-making rooms. Ask:
- Who’s not in the room?
- Who’s not speaking?
- Who’s speaking but not being heard?
HR isn’t just the holder of the process, they are the culture carriers. And culture is built by everyday decisions: recruitment, benefits, parental leave, menopause support, transition policies, inclusive language, and ERGs that actually have a budget and aren’t just involving people of that specific community. It’s always been interesting to me that the LGBTQ+ ERGs are often just people from that community when it should also include allies!
Your future hires are watching. The LGBTQ+ community is watching.
I’ve previously spoken about the undeniable personal rewards of supporting DEI. The joy, connection and trust it builds. But there’s a business case too. Diverse companies perform better. Inclusive brands are more resilient. And when your people feel safe to be themselves, they give more – because they know they belong.
You don’t lose by standing with your people. You lose by staying silent.
A call to action: Allyship when it’s hard
So here we are, another June. Pride flags flying. Corporate accounts polishing their posts. But this year, more than ever, your team is watching. This year is less about Love Is Love. And more about lives being destroyed, lives being taken, people being attacked. We are scared to travel to places we love, scared to show affection outside.
Your future hires are watching. The LGBTQ+ community is watching.
What will you do when the noise gets louder? What will you do when it gets hard?
This is your opportunity. Be loud. Be clear. Be proud – even when it’s not popular. Actually, especially then.
