Openly Seeing LGBTQ+ Professionals
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20%
20% of LGBT+ people still aren’t ‘out’ at work.
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70%
70% of LGBT+ people have been sexually harassed at work.
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50%
50% of transgender employees hide their identity for fear of discrimination at work.
CorporateQueer is a photography exhibition representing and recognising the LGBTQ+ community and their contribution to the world of work, and encouraging employers to invite everyone to bring their whole self to work.
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2 Books
First edition of CorporateQueer book launched at Broadgate in 2021. A bigger coffee table version with all 108 portraits for GuildHall Yard exhibition 2023
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Awards
#CorporateQueer won LGBTQ+ event/initiative of the year at the Link LGBTQ+ Diversity Awards!
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Nominations
Fiona’s portrait of Eddie Izzard featured in CorporateQueer shortlisted for best portrait at The British Photography Awards.
CorporateQueer 2023 launched with a bang outside Guildhall for Pride in June.
An amazing evening at the City of London Corporation's Guildhall Yard where #CoporateQueer was given a fantastic launch at the Pride Flag raising.
One of the most diverse events we have been to. It was wonderful to meet with so many people who have helped along the #CorporateQueer creative journey. Many of the people in the portraits were there and our wonderful sponsors, @investecuk @linklatersllp , and @phoenixgroupuk
We are passionate about sharing the images and personal stories of LGBTQ+ people and their allies from the city and across the UK. Celebrating them and the huge contribution they make to the world of work and showing why diversity is the lifeblood of The City of London and beyond.
If you would like to host this show please contact us
In the press
“Out and Proud And Ourselves: 7 Portraits Of LGBTQ Life At Work”
A "deeply honest and extraordinarily candid" photo essay of City of London professionals
Will Noble, The Londonist
Watch Fiona Freund’s live TV interview on London News
“#CorporateQueer explores the meaning of being queer in the workplace whilst acknowledging the specific needs that LGBTQIA+ people have with regards to equality, inclusion and safety. “
Broadgate events
The Launch of #CorporateQueer for Pride 2021 was a spectacular, colourful and wonderfully celebratory event, inside the fabulous 3FA space at Broadgate and filling Finsbury Avenue Square with colour, lights and music.
A selection of images and stories from the exhibitions
Rt Hon Lord Smith of Finsbury
When I made the speech in Rugby back in 1984 that marked the first public coming-out of a British MP, the thing I wanted to emphasise was the fact that anyone, no matter what their sexual orientation or gender identification happened to be, could do an equally good job as anyone else working for Rugby Council. And the same was true, I felt, for MPs. I hope I've been able to go on to prove that it's also true for Cabinet Ministers and Heads of Cambridge Colleges. One of the important things to remember, though, is that when you're openly out and in public positions of this kind - whilst you must fight like a tiger to take up issues of LGBT+ equality - you mustn't let that become the only thing that defines you. You have to throw yourself into many other causes and campaigns for change. The confidence and freedom that come from being proud of your own identity enable you to make a real difference and bring freedom for others too. The rainbow isn't only about itself; it can help to illuminate and to transform the world too.
Suki Sandhu - Founder and CEO Audeliss and INvolve
I’ve always felt like an outsider in business and it’s probably why I started my own companies. Why do you need to wear a tie and suit in business to be successful? You don’t. I haven’t worn a tie in over ten years. I see it as my own little protest against those in positions of power and influence.
I work with clients across all industries at a very senior level largely Chairman and CEOs which means they are majority (supposedly) straight, white and male. When I walk in the room, they don’t expect someone like me to be supporting them with diversity and inclusion and I love that I challenge their perceptions and biases every day.
I’m unapologetically gay. I want to inspire others to do the same. Be out and proud and be you.
Amanda Walker - J P Morgan
When people think of Canary Wharf, it is usually the tall buildings that spring to mind. But it doesn’t take much exploring to appreciate the deep expanses of docklands water that punctuate the towers of glass and concrete. As a hard-working Investment Banking Technologist, I wholly appreciate the opportunity to step outside the door and get closer to nature. The docks and nearby waterways are home to a variety of birds, fish and other animals.
You know animals can be almost as interesting and diverse as people. There’s “nowt as queer as fish” as they say. Many species of fish are able to change their physical sex and a number of animal species are known to exhibit same sex attraction. I wonder how much the existence of these “queer fish” impact underwater politics? How much does it matter in the everyday life of the colony that a dolphin is bisexual or a fish changes sex? Not a great deal I suspect. I just happen to be pansexual and transgender. In the everyday life of the Investment Bank that shouldn’t make any difference. And mostly, it doesn’t.
Daniel Lismore
I realised I was queer when I was 6. I didn’t know what it meant but I know I didn’t feel the same way as everyone around me. I remember sitting in my garden looking at the stars wishing that I could explain it. Throughout my career I have been discriminated against in every industry that I’ve worked in from fashion to modelling art, the club world and in many of the corporate companies I’ve worked with. Everything I do comes from a skill that I’ve learnt along the way. I have never seen anything as an obstacle, just an ambition. I visualise things and I make them into a reality, it happens on a daily basis. Some people might say I’m tuned in but I work hard on everything I do and things just don’t happen overnight.
I prefer to work on as many projects at one time as I can. I appreciate standing out as the idea of blending in it’s quite annoying unless it’s with an interior. I often sit in boardrooms subconsciously rolling my eyes thinking people do not have a clue when I open my mouth. People are very quick to shut me down but then they take a moment and think.
I believe in collaborating with young artists and people that don’t really have a platform and I do as much as I can with them to lift them up as well as create beautiful collaborations. I would say to anyone, be yourself, everyone else is already taken, especially if you are struggling. Be fearless. Be unique. If people don’t get it they don’t deserve you, but know, when you mess up take ownership and don’t dwell on it, think of a better way of doing it next time. I would say to any employers, question yourself and your hatred if that’s what you have in your heart. Empathy goes a long way. When you hire queer people know that you’re hiring a problem solver because they’ve had to deal with more than you can imagine. Some advice for people hiring, The billionaires of this planet intentionally hire queer people. Corporations work with artists to speak with audiences. Queer artists in all industries are often groundbreaking. Hatred and discrimination to LGBTQIA+ people in the workplace costs the economy billions a year.
Beth Dowling-Jones and family - BNY Mellon
I’ve worked in banking for over two decades now – many of these years have been in the City. When I started my career, I was firmly padlocked inside my closet. It was difficult enough to fit in as a woman, let alone to muddy the waters by coming out as lesbian too. I wasn’t good enough at golf or cricket, to feel like I could fit in around my cis, het, predominantly white male colleagues.
I’ve seen so many barriers removed in that time. Gradually we have crept towards a more thoughtful, more inclusive and empathetic agenda, allowing a far broader and diverse workforce to join us here in our wonderful square mile. The balance of people is still visibly unequal – men to women, white to people of colour, able bodied to those with disabilities, and invisibly too, for those of us in the LGBTQ+ community - but the willingness for change is there, and that’s significant.
It’s hugely important for both my wife and I that, in our industries (TV and banking), and in our London, we really see diversity and we keep on challenging what is ‘normal’. Our kids may or may end up working in London (or France, or America, or Space) – and we need to ensure that our daughter and our youngest child have every single opportunity available to them to celebrate exactly who they were born to be, without constraint or hesitation around sexual preference or gender conformity. We have come a long way. May our City continue to thrive and may the rivers of people who flow through it, grow increasingly rich in their diversity.
Louis Thomas - Mazars
Having grown up in a small seaside town in Devon I did not have many gay peers to look up to. By the time I started going out with friends there was no gay scene in my area, so my social life was predominantly hanging out with my girlfriends. I had a very fortunate experience as a young gay teenager because I never experienced any homophobia, in fact everyone in my life was absolutely indifferent to my sexuality. This meant though that I hadn’t had any exposure to gay culture and the gay scene.
I left Devon in 2016 to move to university all the way up in Manchester – and I am sure everyone can imagine how scary leaving a one Starbucks town to a big city felt. Very early on I met a great group of friends and we started to frequently go out on Canal Street. Despite never having any issues relating to my sexuality, this was still the first time I had ever been in my community and around other queer people. I have met some fabulous friends through the gay village and the area is so special to me.
I think for a lot of queer people they feel that they have to hide their sexuality in work. My team however are nothing but supportive and make me feel that I can be myself at work. Perhaps it is a generation thing, but I feel as if Mazars is a safe space to be an openly out gay man working in the corporate world.
Carla Matthews and family - BTG
I was brought up in a family where I was given all the tools needed to succeed and the confidence to be myself. I am lucky, in that I was surrounded by love and support. I appreciate that not everyone can say the same. I don’t have the typical journey that people expect, I have a mother who learnt to play the piano on her Steinway and a father that had his own successful company at 28. I was privately educated and lived in the countryside, in the 1970’s this was rare, in the 2000’s I occasionally get asked if I was adopted.
On the whole I think the world has turned, some are more curious about differences rather than scared. I find ignorance to be the basis of the comments that I have received in the past, only through recognising that and educating people will that change. I know we have a long way to go still. We need to be more visible. Certain doors in the City are still closed to people like me; all I can do is wedge open the ones I have forced myself through. When multiple diversity labels apply it’s hard to know which will become irrelevant first. For my daughter, I want to create a world where she defines herself by who she is but is not defined by it.
Hilary Lowe - Mazars - Ally
My journey along the pathway of becoming an ally to the LGBT+ community at my church, in the community and in my workplace stems out of a personal tragedy, one that no parent would ever in their wildest nightmares want to face. Losing a child to suicide is heart-breaking. From this devastating tragedy has grown a passion within me to not only be a voice but also to be seen as an ally, to stand proud as an advocate for equality and inclusion for EVERYONE in all walks of life.
Pavlo Cherednychenko - Mazars
What a transformational personal journey it has been, from a joyful kid born in 80s in the coastal city of Odesa in the south of Ukraine to standing on The Thames Beach in the very heart of City of London as a confident gay man with an established corporate career. The sun and the water in this picture powerfully connect with my roots and visually manifest for me the natural cycle of life – no matter what happens day to day, there will be another day with the sunrise and sunset and the water flow will clear all distractions and provide the clarity we are searching for. Seeing myself as complete and enough (meaning that there are no fundamental flaws or missing parts in me) is something I have learnt to cherish and appreciate about my true authentic self and, in my view, is the easiest and fastest way to be openly seen and acknowledged by others for what each of us truly represents and brings into this world regardless of our race, gender, sexual orientation or anything else.
Jonathon Stubbs, Yvonne Waldron, Nuno Da Silva
We are three committed colleagues:
But who are we? One is married to a man, two are partnered to a man, one will hit the big 50 next year, and two passed it a few years ago! One is an ally, two are part of the LGBT+ community, one works in Human Resources, two work in revenue generating teams. One is Chair of our global LGBT+ network two are regional Co-Chairs of the LGBT+ network. One is Irish, one is Portuguese, one is British......one is female, two are male. Three believe in power of inclusion and actively lead across our region, and whilst not their whole being, the hint in our portrait to Pride and to our great City of London, to the hope in the next Millennium represented by the Bridge, the steadfastness and courage represented by St Paul’s and the freedom of expression and freedom to ‘just be us’ was truly a taste of the freedom we know some don’t yet enjoy. And, if you look really closely you can see a ‘nod’ to our employer BNY Mellon with their logo arrow taking a careful and yet intentional place in our picture as they enable us to be our true authentic selves – whatever that may be.
Bhasha Laad - Mazars
I am a cis, bi woman and I am originally from New Delhi, India. I identified myself as bisexual and came out to my friends after I met my partner back in 2019 which was also when I moved to London!
I met her in my previous job and albeit the firm’s D&I agenda, we did not come out to our team members and colleagues until much later. I have been a part of Mazars since February 2021 and since then, I have ensured that my relationship and my orientation is not a part of my life that I veil – intentionally or unintentionally. I am happy and excited to see the firm’s inclusivity agenda and the acceptance of the team members (or as we call it in London I&S – ‘families’). With this openness, I have experienced a comfort in my own skin as well as a certain level of ‘pride’ (pun intended!) – by being and sharing my true self and with that hopefully creating a safe space for other members of the LGBTQIA+ community in my day-to-day life. I come from India – which is a land of diversity personified. With its diverse cultures comes a spectrum of colours and what better representation of colours than the pride rainbow! I have tried to integrate colours into my office wear (which in the UK corporate culture lie on a spectrum of black, blue, white and/ or grey!) as much as possible and with this photo – I hope to present a side of #CorporateQueer that everyone can identify with: formal with a bit of fun! 😊
A very special thank you to Berengere Ducoms for her incredible digital imaging skills.
#CorporateQueer won LGBTQ+ event of the year at the Link LGBTQ+ Diversity Awards!
#CorporateQueer won LGBTQ+ event of the year at the Link LGBTQ+ Diversity Awards!
We would like to thank these wonderful sponsors and hosts of #CorporateQueer.
