I'm here, I'm queer ( Why Representation Matters)

In this 20 minute session we’ll talk about why it matters that ‘I’m here and I’m Queer’. Representation, both at conferences and in the media, is so important not just for us now, but also for the future generations. I distinctly remember the feeling after the 2015 Women’s World Cup final when USA won, watching Abby Wambach run across the field to kiss her wife. Seeing someone that represents you, your life, or what you stand for is the difference between being an insider or on the outside, looking in.

I always attempt to bring my entire authentic self wherever I go. Not just so that I don’t have to waste energy hiding a portion of my life to make others ‘feel less weird’, but because others who aren’t ‘out’ can see themselves on the stage of a massive data platform conference and realise they can do this to.

If you want to know why all this DEI stuff matters, why we need to keep striving to diversify the attendees and speakers at our conferences and events, then this session is for you. This is my story and the aim is to give you food for thought and provide a better understanding of why DEI is so important. We can all be strong allies and help make our events, conferences and the world a more inclusive place.