As part of our pride celebrations, we caught up with a number of our members of staff within the LGBTQIA+ community and discussed what pride means to them.
Brendan Veevers - Client Manager
What do you think about queer representation in music in 2024?
I think its improving. We can see with the popularity of big events like Mighty Hoopla festival, for example. Which puts queer culture into the spotlight, that not only is queer culture becoming more widespread and celebrated, but also that each year more and more issues are being discussed. Through an incline in openly queer artists in music, the LGBTQI+ voice is become louder and louder and in turn young people are becoming more challenging about issues like equality. I think too that the work that icons of the past like Freddie Mercury, George Michael, David Bowie did, and that activists like Cyndi Lauper do - as well as the voices of allies like Adele, Pink and Taylor Swift, that those younger generations are more educated and more determined to be heard and seen.
Why do you celebrate pride?
To celebrate the things we (the community) have achieved and also at the same time to put focus back on the areas of improvement that are still needed when it comes to equality. Also, to celebrate alongside others in the community which ultimately gives the community more visibility and presence and draws attention to the pride the LGBTQI+ community has in being seen and heard.
Who are your queer heroes?
Cyndi Lauper is a major idol of mine and someone that I looked at as a true ally from a young age. Since her early years she has been a constant supporter and activist and is always seen marching for the community at equal rights events, at Pride celebrations around the world and works with so many charities and foundations that help the LGBTQI+ community. She is an incredible human being and phenomenal musical talent.
How do you feel as an LGBTQIA+ employee regarding the inclusivity and openness in our workplace?
As someone in their early 40's I have never felt so comfortable in the workplace as a member of the LGBTQI+ community. Prior to Sentric I was in a role where I was labelled as 'you people' by my manager. In the job before that I was told swiftly to remove my furry rainbow legwarmers in the office on the Friday of London Pride weekend as it made senior management uncomfortable. Coming to my next place of employment was a stressful thing for me because I didn't know if I could be 'me'. I was immediately welcomed to the team and the company and have never felt more accepted, seen, heard and supported by my amazing Client Management team and everyone else in the company. Being LGBTQI+ doesn't mean having to throw it in people's faces but to be able to feel like I can talk about my husband in the same way as colleagues talk about their partners, or that I can say that I am enjoyed Aquaman for reasons other than the special effects without judgement is a nice thing.
Sally Summers - Copyright Assistant
What do you think about queer representation in music in 2024?
When I was growing up, I would cling to a CRUMB of representation, because it just wasn't there. Most artists on TV talent shows would change pronouns in covers of songs to fit with a heterosexual narrative. Now we can hear women singing about being in love with another woman on the radio and music videos illustrating queer relationships. This is what I dreamed of seeing and hearing; young people growing up in 2024 see themselves the way that so many of us growing up before them never did. It makes you feel that little bit less alone.
Why do you celebrate pride?
Pride's origins are a protest, it's super important for us to remember that. For us to be able to even be comfortable with our identities today, let alone celebrate them, many LGBTQ+ folks before us had to endure incredible hardships to get us to where we are today. I celebrate Pride to honour these people, and thank them for allowing me to live openly, for helping shift societies viewpoint so we don't have to live in the shadows as they were made to. I hope to be part of the journey to allow future LGBTQ+ people to live with even less hardships I went through, and so on.
Who are your queer heroes?
Marsha P Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. They are integral to the reason we even have Pride Month.
How do you feel as an LGBTQIA+ employee regarding the inclusivity and openness in our workplace?
When I first started, there was pride bunting hung around the office, and I internally squealed because I knew this was a safe space. This is the first workplace in my working life that I haven't had to come out at. I cannot explain how much that means to me. In previous workplaces when I had mentioned going on dates with women, or an ex girlfriend, I would be met with shocked faces and the classic "I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE GAY!" and made to feel different, I would feel myself shrinking...here, that has never been the case. Nobody batted an eyelid when I mentioned my partner. I am not only seen as like everyone else, I am celebrated. I can be me. I am so grateful for that.
Jack Joy - Copyright Assistant
What do you think about queer representation in music in 2024?
I think its incredible to see there’s so much space for queerness nowadays. Queerness and art have always gone hand in hand, and the more experimental and left-field things get in music, the more queer its’ going to inevitably get too – which is exactly why it’s so exciting to watch! We just have to keep pushing now: keep pushing the boat out, keep funding queer talents, keep listening to queer voices, and allow further representation for the queer folk who’s voices aren’t as loud at the moment. The music will only get better!
Why do you celebrate pride?
Pride is important because it is both a reminder of how far things have come and also how far things still need to go. While it is great to see celebrations get louder and bigger every year, there’s also so many new challenges that threaten our community every time – it’s a reminder to keep fighting for liberation for all, and that that liberation is possible, precisely because progress has happened before. I think safe spaces are incredibly important, and to allow ourselves this time to dedicate it to our cultures and histories, especially when its so under threat from erasure at the moment, is crucial. It also reminds those outside of the community exactly what is threatening us at the moment. Its' a safe space for everyone to learn about why queer liberation affects everybody.
Who are your queer heroes?
Julius Eastman is a huge hero of mine, for all the work he did on the Minimalist movement back in the mid 20th century. Minimalism feels like such an inherently queer genre to me, so to see we had such an influential queer man working on it at the time is incredibly validating. SOPHIE is also someone who will always be a huge hero of mine – her sound is something that is becoming more and more visible in the mainstream, and she was doing it 10+ years before! I could literally speak for hours about her, but I think its so important to remember how inherently queer her sound was. The idea of rebuilding worlds from scratch, and recontextualising what it means to even have a gender, or a body. When it comes to music we have to remember to credit the artists and the sounds that inspire us, especially when its people like SOPHIE and Eastman, who’s queerness (including their gender and race) hindered their visibility at the time, even though they were both so ahead of the curve. I also heavily recommend the writings of José Esteban Muñoz! His books are so radical for an understanding of queer liberation - definitely worth a read.
How do you feel as an LGBTQIA+ employee regarding the inclusivity and openness in our workplace?
I feel extremely fortunate that I’ve never been made to feel uncomfortable in the workplace, and the collection of writers / performers that we look after makes me excited to see that queerness is something that is uplifted here. I definitely feel very lucky to have not experienced anything negative. I would just encourage Sentric to keep going! Push even weirder, more queer artists to take up space – even if it feels a little unpalatable at first – its something we have to hold on to.