Emma’s story
Sunday 17 May is International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT).
Thirty years ago, on 17 May 1990, the World Health Organization (WHO) declassified homosexuality as a mental disorder. The date is now celebrated every year in more than 130 countries, uniting millions of people in support of the recognition of human rights for all, irrespective of sexual orientation or gender identity.
IDAHOBIT represents an annual landmark to draw the attention of decision makers, the media, the public, opinion leaders and local authorities to the violence and discrimination experienced by LGBT+ people internationally.
As one of the UK’s biggest employers, Royal Mail is committed to putting equality and diversity at the heart of our business. This IDAHOBIT is a chance to reach out to your LGBT+ colleagues and let them know you support them.
People Planning & Design Support Manager, Emma Eade
‘As a teenager growing up in a small rural village in the East Midlands, it was incredibly difficult to ever imagine how different life could be. By different, I mean being a lesbian within that tight-knit community, where everyone went to church on Sundays and people thought having a Chinese takeaway on a Friday night was exotic.
‘I started watching a show on Channel 4 called Ellen. The lead role was played by a woman, who was funny, quirky, sincere and…had a bit of a tomboy appearance? I found her relatable; she only wore comfortable shoes, she didn’t really wear any makeup and she was slightly neurotic!
‘In 1997, Ellen DeGeneres finally came out about her sexuality both on her show and in real life. I was over the moon, and my admiration only grew for her because here she was being totally honest, opening up to the world, even though she understood the risks of divulging this kind of information. So brave.
‘At the time, this kind of news was so reassuring for my 13-year-old self as I realised there was someone like me out there. How I was feeling inside wasn’t unnatural. Ellen has continued to use her fame status to support and raise awareness on issues close to her heart, stating that she strives to be “nice, generous and kind, which is what we’re supposed to do with one another. That’s the point of being a human.”
‘She is a huge advocate for the LGBT+ community, she has spoken up against anti-LGBT+ laws; supporting adults and teens, who have been faced with bigotry around the world. She has won numerous awards for her animal rights activism (she is a staunch vegan) and humanitarian work, the greatest award being the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is the highest civil honour in the US, and a tribute to the idea that anyone, no matter where we come from, has the opportunity to change things for the better.
‘Twenty-three years have passed since I saw that TV episode and I’ve been heartened by the good things which Ellen continues to do from her platform. But she will always be the person who made me feel ok about myself – someone unafraid to tell the world who I was.’
Executive Assistant and LGBT+ & Friends steering group member, said: ‘Whilst the coronavirus has understandably disrupted our plans for the 2020 Summer of Prides, as a group, we still have lots going on to keep you all busy! Make sure you send us all your lockdown rainbow photos this Sunday!
‘Join us on Workplace and Facebook and help us keep the rainbows shining! If you’d like to join our Facebook group, just send us an email at LGBT&Friends@royalmail.com with your pay number (to ensure that only Royal Mail and Parcelforce employees have access to the group) and the email address you normally use to sign into Facebook. We’ll then send you an invitation to join.’
