What does it mean to be yourself at work? 🏳️‍🌈

For me, being myself at work is kind of For me, being myself at work is kind of easy mode. It's as easy as it gets for easy mode. It's as easy as it gets for easy mode. It's as easy as it gets for someone at a company. someone at a company. someone at a company. >> I need to be able to express the kind of >> I need to be able to express the kind of >> I need to be able to express the kind of more silly more silly more silly parts of myself alongside like a few parts of myself alongside like a few parts of myself alongside like a few smart bits. smart bits. smart bits. >> Feel safe to ask questions, being >> Feel safe to ask questions, being >> Feel safe to ask questions, being comfortable enough expressing my honest comfortable enough expressing my honest comfortable enough expressing my honest thoughts and opinions. thoughts and opinions. thoughts and opinions. >> When I trust people around. >> Correct. >> Correct. >> [clears throat] >> Um talking about my life without >> Um talking about my life without censoring simple details like the name censoring simple details like the name censoring simple details like the name of my partner. >> Oh. >> Oh. I feel [music] like that would just be I feel [music] like that would just be I feel [music] like that would just be really tiring and I'm very exhausting. I really tiring and I'm very exhausting. I really tiring and I'm very exhausting. I would would would >> probably constantly have these thoughts >> probably constantly have these thoughts >> probably constantly have these thoughts in my mind about not [music] doing this, in my mind about not [music] doing this, in my mind about not [music] doing this, not doing that.

not doing that. not doing that. >> Yeah, I can totally see that this being >> Yeah, I can totally see that this being >> Yeah, I can totally see that this being an issue. Like so even even the use of an issue. Like so even even the use of an issue. Like so even even the use of the word partner has been the word partner has been the word partner has been adopted by many people specifically adopted by many people specifically adopted by many people specifically because it's a gender neutral thing. because it's a gender neutral thing. because it's a gender neutral thing. >> Bringing my family to a company event >> Bringing my family to a company event >> Bringing my family to a company event without worrying what people will think. without worrying what people will think. without worrying what people will think. Uh I can imagine [music] Uh I can imagine [music] Uh I can imagine [music] oof yeah. oof yeah. oof yeah. >> [laughter] >> [laughter] >> [laughter] [gasps] [gasps] [gasps] >> I don't think I've ever even thought >> I don't think I've ever even thought >> I don't think I've ever even thought about it before. about it before. about it before. >> This can be very isolating. Yeah, it's >> This can be very isolating. Yeah, it's >> This can be very isolating. Yeah, it's just something that restricts you a lot. just something that restricts you a lot. just something that restricts you a lot. >> point is that you're supposed to go and >> point is that you're supposed to go and >> point is that you're supposed to go and be like, "This is my partner. I'm so be like, "This is my partner. I'm so be like, "This is my partner. I'm so proud of them." proud of them." proud of them." >> I think it should not be um the case >> I think it should not be um the case >> I think it should not be um the case [music] to even think of how others [music] to even think of how others [music] to even think of how others think of your think of your think of your family members. family members. family members. >> Not having to hide the parts of myself >> Not having to hide the parts of myself >> Not having to hide the parts of myself that signal I'm LGBTQ+. that signal I'm LGBTQ+. that signal I'm LGBTQ+. Like the the I speak. Like the the I speak. Like the the I speak. >> Right. >> Right. >> Right. >> We spend a lot of time at [music] work. >> We spend a lot of time at [music] work. >> We spend a lot of time at [music] work. So, imagine So, imagine So, imagine the pressure of hiding who you actually the pressure of hiding who you actually the pressure of hiding who you actually are, especially at a company [music] are, especially at a company [music] are, especially at a company [music] like JetBrains. A lot of people have like JetBrains. A lot of people have like JetBrains. A lot of people have English as their second language.

English as their second language. English as their second language. [music] That already takes something off [music] That already takes something off [music] That already takes something off you. If you're then having to censor the you. If you're then having to censor the you. If you're then having to censor the way that you speak on top of that, it's way that you speak on top of that, it's way that you speak on top of that, it's hugely [music] draining. hugely [music] draining. hugely [music] draining. >> It's self-censorship. It's You'll always >> It's self-censorship. It's You'll always >> It's self-censorship. It's You'll always have to, you know, consider [music] is have to, you know, consider [music] is have to, you know, consider [music] is it safe to show this? Is it not safe to it safe to show this? Is it not safe to it safe to show this? Is it not safe to show this? show this? show this? >> Can imagine that this is really hard. >> Can imagine that this is really hard. >> Can imagine that this is really hard. How are you supposed to feel energized How are you supposed to feel energized How are you supposed to feel energized if you're [music] if you're [music] if you're [music] constantly under pressure to just have constantly under pressure to just have constantly under pressure to just have this facade? this facade? this facade? >> No, we are going to be treated >> No, we are going to be treated >> No, we are going to be treated differently after people find out who I differently after people find out who I differently after people find out who I am or who I love. So, >> everybody [music] should feel okay with, >> everybody [music] should feel okay with, you know, just being authentic and true you know, just being authentic and true you know, just being authentic and true to themselves. to themselves. to themselves. >> This is not about sexual orientation at >> This is not about sexual orientation at >> This is not about sexual orientation at all. This is about like respect for all. This is about like respect for all. This is about like respect for other people in general. other people in general. other people in general. >> I feel it's embarrassing that this >> I feel it's embarrassing that this >> I feel it's embarrassing that this [music] statement is there. We should [music] statement is there. We should [music] statement is there. We should grow up a bit. >> Being myself at work to me [music] means >> Being myself at work to me [music] means being able to talk about my life openly being able to talk about my life openly being able to talk about my life openly without stopping to wonder how it will without stopping to wonder how it will without stopping to wonder how it will be received or whether I will be judged.

be received or whether I will be judged. be received or whether I will be judged. It's the freedom to be honest about who It's the freedom to be honest about who It's the freedom to be honest about who I am I am I am and focus on my work, spend my energy and focus on my work, spend my energy and focus on my work, spend my energy [music] [music] [music] on ideas, and not having to hide parts on ideas, and not having to hide parts on ideas, and not having to hide parts of who I am.