Now, the reason for a sudden outbreak of cupcake baking (particularly given I've a shed load more to make over the weekend) is that tomorrow I have an LGBT Diversity Group meeting, and it's the third anniversary of the group.
Which got me thinking to how much this group has come to mean to me in the last three years, and how I very nearly didn't even join.
Three years ago I was, frankly, a complete mess. I'd been with the firm a couple of months, I'd been in my new house (not to mention new city) about a month, and I was slowly coming to terms with the fact that I hadn't got a fucking clue who I was any more. I was also starting to slide badly. For some reason, when I get over a totally shite period in my life and things start to look like they are coming together, there are positives and things to look forward, I panic, full blown flat out panic.... because of course someone is going to take all that away again aren't they.... well no, but at that point, try telling my mind that! So at best at that stage I was foundering, and foundering badly.
As far as LGBT issues were concerned, I wasn't a joiner in, at least not by then... I used to be, when I was at University I was elected to the Student Union exec and did a lot of work with the LGBT student rep, I helped put together the LGBT student guide, went on awareness raising events etc... strangely when I kind of came out and was with my ex it all sort of slide by the wayside. So when we first got the e-mail round at work saying the group was starting I just looked at it and thought, yeah right, and promptly ignored it.
When the reminder of the first meeting came round, giving details of where it would be, and asking for people to come join in I am sure the same thing would have happened, except for one small thing that intervened. Our office is open plan and in the pods directly opposite me were two mid 20 year old straight male colleagues, who were taking the piss about the whole thing, I think the bit that got me was suggesting they should hang out outside the meeting and identify the gay people......and that was all it took, I was that cross I e-mailed the organiser and said yes, I wanted to join.
Ok, I still was too nervous to approach my manager to ask to go, and I didn't announce where I was going, except to my team leader, when I went to the first meeting....oh how things have changed. The group have been a great support to me at work, my name is now on the group's internal web page as a contact for other LGBT staff members, I go to socials and educational events that the group run, help out at the firm's Pride stand, and in tomorrow's department diary at 2 pm it states quite clearly for all to read that I am going to the LGBT Diversity Group meeting... and hell I proud of that!
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