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Joy (Queer Joy) Queer Joy is a positive feeling that we get from encountering signs of progress in gender equality and gender diversity, as well as connecting meaningfully with others in our community and being able to occupy spaces unapologetically as ourselves. See: Belonging, Chosen Family and Community. < Back to Glossary

(she/her) Josephine Josephine is a BACP Accredited Counsellor. Her career has centred around helping parents cope with change and supporting people in difficult circumstances such as baby loss, involuntary childlessness and domestic abuse. Since two of Josephine's children came out as transgender in 2015, Josephine has been learning first hand what it is like to face an unexpected change in family circumstances. Her podcast, Gloriously Unready, about her experience was shortlisted for the 2023 Independent Podcast Awards and reviewed by The Guardian. Josephine Hughes Looking for a Guest Speake r ? Get in touch Our Recent Articles... Beyond Calendar Moments: How Organisations Turn Belonging Into a Movement. Community Building 101 | Wellbeing with Panteres Grogues. Our Community Impact: 2025 Year in Review. Create Space for Change. We work with 100+ Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke DEI solutions. Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce insights and craft content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Discover our bespoke corporate solutions... Work with us

Safety The need for safety was acknowledged as a basic human need by Abraham Maslow in his 'Hierarchy of Needs'. Safety needs represent the second tier in Maslow's hierarchy and these needs include the security of body, of employment, of resources, of morality of family, and of health. People want to experience order, predictability and control in their lives. These needs can be fulfilled by the family and society (e.g. police, schools, business and medical care). Without a sense of physical safety – both individually and more broadly as a community – we are unable to focus on other factors that support our wellbeing. < Back to Glossary

(she/her) Nicole Nicole is a natural community builder who found her passion for collaboration early in her career as a paralegal. After working as a “master connector” at Omnicom Health Group, she created The Black Collective, Omnicom's first Black talent resource group, where she championed diversity and inclusivity. As Director of DE&I at RAPP , Nicole brings her aptitude for building equitable paths forward to success for all marginalized communities, ensuring that all voices are seen and heard. She's a passionate speaker on topics such as community building, leadership, workplace allyship, intersectionality, LGBTQ+ discrimination, mental health, well-being, body positivity, faith, self-empowerment, culture change, activism, parenting, and trauma. Nicole Simpson Looking for a Guest Speake r ? Get in touch Our Recent Articles... Beyond Calendar Moments: How Organisations Turn Belonging Into a Movement. Community Building 101 | Wellbeing with Panteres Grogues. Our Community Impact: 2025 Year in Review. Create Space for Change. We work with 100+ Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke DEI solutions. Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce insights and craft content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Discover our bespoke corporate solutions... Work with us

Burnout Burnout is a state of physical and emotional exhaustion. It can occur when you experience long-term stress in your job, or when you have worked in a physically or emotionally draining role for a long time. When we feel like we are burning out, it is important that we ask for help from the people around us, so we can protect our wellbeing. To avoid burnout, we must ensure that we set boundaries for ourselves, and acknowledge when we have reached capacity. < Back to Glossary

(she/her) Coda Coda is a dynamic consultant with extensive experience in DEI, partnership management, and creative leadership. She combines advanced analytical and communication skills with a passion for creating inclusive, transformative spaces across corporate, creative, and cultural domains. Coda’s strong ability to influence change and transformation has seen her design and implement inclusion initiatives for FTSE 100 and Fortune 500 companies such as Google, Standard Chartered, National Grid and Warner Bros Discovery. Coda is also the co-founder of Trans Voices, the UK's first professional music collective for marginalised genders. Under her leadership, the collective has partnered with the Guardian for a specially commissioned documentary film as well as with M&C Saatchi and Olly Alexander for the award winning #borntomix advertising campaign. The collective is currently working on a high profile art installation with a leading British culture institution. Coda Nicolaeff Looking for a Guest Speake r ? Get in touch Our Recent Articles... Beyond Calendar Moments: How Organisations Turn Belonging Into a Movement. Community Building 101 | Wellbeing with Panteres Grogues. Our Community Impact: 2025 Year in Review. Create Space for Change. We work with 100+ Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke DEI solutions. Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce insights and craft content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Discover our bespoke corporate solutions... Work with us

Masc A person whose gender is perceived or understood as masculine presenting. See: Gender Identity and Gender Expression. < Back to Glossary

Discrimination Discrimination is something that members of the Queer Community, and those who have other marginalised identities are still subject to everyday - this means prejudices are enacted upon, and queer people are often seen struggling with less access to opportunity as well as victims of negative attitudes by others that can result in abuse and unequal power dynamics. < Back to Glossary

(he/him) Vijay Vijay Chohan is a former corporate solicitor who quickly discovered that, as a gay South Asian, he didn't quite "fit in" to the homogenous (straight white middle-class) culture of his workplace. After seven years of enduring this toxic environment, he left and joined OLIVER Agency as an in-house lawyer, in search of a more creative and accepting culture. Following a two-year stint in Legal, Vijay decided to pursue his passion and joined the newly-formed DEI team as Global DEI Partner. Having made waves in Ad-land, Vijay has recently joined British Airways as Inclusion & Diversity Manager, where he hopes to drive sustainable change across aviation. Combining his legal expertise and personal experiences, he now champions inclusion and diversity in the workplace. Vijay is an expert in topics such as anti-racism, intersectionality, workplace allyship, and community building. He also has valuable insights into LGBTQ+ discrimination, mental health, well-being, body positivity, and identity. Vijay Chohan Looking for a Guest Speake r ? Get in touch Our Recent Articles... Beyond Calendar Moments: How Organisations Turn Belonging Into a Movement. Community Building 101 | Wellbeing with Panteres Grogues. Our Community Impact: 2025 Year in Review. Create Space for Change. We work with 100+ Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke DEI solutions. Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce insights and craft content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Discover our bespoke corporate solutions... Work with us

Family Traditionally, family is defined as a group of one or more parents and their children living together as a unit. However, we all know that in present-day, families that resemble the traditional nuclear family ideals are in the minority. While for many Queer people, relationships with their families are important and strong, many who are open about their sexuality, gender identity and gender expression are ostracised by those related to them. This is why 'Chosen Families' are so important for Queer people - relationships we forge with close friends who share similar values to us, and those who are there to support us unconditionally where others perhaps don't. See: Belonging, Community and Coming out. < Back to Glossary

(no pronouns) Tashan Tashan is a coach and workshop facilitator who specializes in empowering underrepresented leaders to bring their authentic selves to the forefront. With nearly a decade of experience in the advertising and media industry, including a role as an Analytics Director, Tashan brings a data-driven approach to their work. Tashan is a passionate advocate for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and is actively involved in advocacy groups such as Outvertising. Tashan draws from their unique perspective as a Black and Queer individual and is dedicated to empowering diverse communities through their work. Additionally, they are an expert in promoting intersectionality and promoting well-being and self-empowerment. Tashan Nicholas Looking for a Guest Speake r ? Get in touch Our Recent Articles... Beyond Calendar Moments: How Organisations Turn Belonging Into a Movement. Community Building 101 | Wellbeing with Panteres Grogues. Our Community Impact: 2025 Year in Review. Create Space for Change. We work with 100+ Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke DEI solutions. Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce insights and craft content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Discover our bespoke corporate solutions... Work with us

Incarceration The state of being confined in prison. < Back to Glossary

Bottom Surgery A colloquial term used in the trans community to refer to gender affirmative surgeries on the genitals. Bottom surgery is often important for trans people to feel like their gender identity is aligned with their physical body. < Back to Glossary

Equity The fair treatment, access, opportunity and advancement for all people, while at the same time striving to identify and eliminate barriers that prevent the full participation of some groups. The principle of equity acknowledges that there are historically underserved and underrepresented populations and that fairness regarding these unbalanced conditions is necessary to provide equal opportunities to all groups. < Back to Glossary

Same-sex A same-sex relationship is a romantic or sexual relationship between people of the same sex. Same-sex marriage refers to the institutionalised recognition of such relationships in the form of a marriage; civil unions may exist in countries where same-sex marriage does not. < Back to Glossary

Visibility (See Representation) < Back to Glossary

Adversity Referring to a difficult or unpleasant situation. Queer people regularly face adversity that cisgender heterosexual people do not, such as discrimination in the workplace, rejection by family members, medical gatekeeping, political scapegoating or violence and abuse on account of their identity. < Back to Glossary

they/them Jude Jude is a Trans, Non-binary Public Speaker, Consultant and Model. They use their platform to share trans joy, speaking very openly about their own journey, with the hope of inspiring the future generations of trans and non-binary youth so they may see themselves represented, empower themselves and celebrate who they are! Their public speaking career started while working for the Amy Winehouse Foundation in the charity's early days. Jude travelled to schools across the country as a part of their resilience programme, telling their life story and speaking about their struggles with substance misuse, peer pressure and how to build up resilience. Jude is now not only paving the way for trans and non-binary representation in the world of fashion and beauty but is also championing trans equality in schools and businesses across the UK and Europe. Jude Guaitamacchi Looking for a Guest Speake r ? Get in touch Our Recent Articles... Beyond Calendar Moments: How Organisations Turn Belonging Into a Movement. Community Building 101 | Wellbeing with Panteres Grogues. Our Community Impact: 2025 Year in Review. Create Space for Change. We work with 100+ Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke DEI solutions. Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce insights and craft content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Discover our bespoke corporate solutions... Work with us

Assimilation Assimilation is the process in which a minority group or culture comes to resemble a society's majority group or assume the values, behaviours, and beliefs of another group whether fully or partially. An example of assimilation in that Queer People could be seen as changing their behaviour depending on who they're facing. This is often at the expense of one's own culture and identity. For queer folks, assimilation can mean subsuming or erasing their queer or racialized identity to fit into heteronormative society. It can often look like internalised homophobia, racism, or transphobia, which keeps us closed in and conforming to societal norms at the expense of our own authentic selves. Here are examples of assimilation: - Avoiding holding hands with a partner in public to avoid negative reactions from others. - Changing ones appearance or behaviour to conform to gender norms. - Choosing not to come out to one's family and friends for fear of rejection. - Pretending to only have relationships with the opposite sex to avoid discrimination. - Avoiding talking about ones sexuality or gender identity at work to avoid judgement or discrimination. - Suppressing aspects of their cultural identity to avoid discrimination or rejection from others. See: Code-switching. < Back to Glossary

(he/him) Christopher Christopher, a former nurse, made a life-changing decision at the age of 32 to leave his successful career in London and move to Barcelona in 2015. He had no concrete plans except for a deep-seated desire to live an authentic life. Fast forward to the present, Christopher is now the Director of Privacy & Compliance at an international company, where he also spearheads the global Pride Employee Resource Group. It all started as the Barcelona chapter in 2018. Christopher is an openly gay man and advocates for the LGBTQIA+ community by ensuring visibility and relatability, particularly in the workplace. This is something he wishes he had when he was growing up in the 80s and 90s. Christopher McDonnell Looking for a Guest Speake r ? Get in touch Our Recent Articles... Beyond Calendar Moments: How Organisations Turn Belonging Into a Movement. Community Building 101 | Wellbeing with Panteres Grogues. Our Community Impact: 2025 Year in Review. Create Space for Change. We work with 100+ Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke DEI solutions. Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce insights and craft content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Discover our bespoke corporate solutions... Work with us