Had a work dinner event today. One of those typical networking events where one firm hosts and lots of professionals get together and talk.
These things are ok and having been in the same business community for many years, I know pretty much everyone who goes to these things and it’s quite nice to catch up.
It has to be said though, that this community is not diverse. It is all middle aged white men. In a room of fifty people, there were five women. No one openly LGB and no trans people for sure.
If I were to come into this group as Nicola, I would stand out.
I would also be having to reestablish relationships with people who have always known me as my male name and that is going to be challenging. Going into a room of people who know you as another name and gender is probably harder than encountering strangers.
It feels daunting and I sat there at dinner, wondering whether I could do this as Nicola.
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