In celebration of Pride Month, Emily Freeman reflects on what it means to navigate her role and the legal industry as an LBGTQIA+ individual.
For me, Pride Month is a time to reflect on the journey toward equality. Not just within society as a whole, but also within the legal profession, where diversity and inclusion have at times lagged.
Navigating this space as an LGBTQIA+ individual brings challenges but also gratitude and appreciation to work for a firm that embraces and celebrates people, regardless of who you choose to love.
When you first enter the legal profession, it is hard to gauge how open you can be about your identity. Despite progress being made, the legal profession can stereotypically feel like a traditional profession, defined by hierarchy and longstanding norms around appearance, language and behaviour. From the expectation to conform to a traditional mould, there’s an unspoken message about what a ‘typical lawyer’ looks like, often white, male, and heterosexual.
Early on into a new role, you can find yourself scanning for the subtle signals: a rainbow lanyard, pronouns in email sign offs and inclusive language being used. You can sit silently and psych yourself up to mention a same-sex partner, before anyone has the opportunity to ask you if you live with your parents or with your boyfriend.
Fortunately, I’ve found allies and advocates across Reeds and within the legal profession, where it’s not just about ticking a box or issuing a Pride Month social media post. It’s about creating a working culture where people feel seen, heard, and respected every day of the year, not just in June. Openness is encouraged, colleagues are welcoming and accepting of my experiences of being LGBTQIA+ in the legal sphere.
The view at Reeds in particular is one that is overwhelmingly positive and a lot of people believe that “everybody should be themselves. Love is love”. The last EDI survey showcased this acceptance at Reeds:
“It is important for persons to be able to express their gender/sexuality.”
“Everyone should be able to be themselves at work.”
“It should be acknowledged, shown understanding and respect.”
This view at Reeds has allowed me to feel comfortable and respected at work, and I am grateful for that.
Pride Month offers an important opportunity to celebrate that culture, but also to challenge complacency. It’s a chance for firms to ask themselves if they are doing enough, if their inclusion efforts are merely for show or if there is a successful culture where individuals can feel that they can be their authentic selves, without judgement or stigmatisation.
When individuals are free to be themselves at work, it fosters an environment where everyone can thrive. This leads to stronger, more dynamic teams and creates space for honest conversations, which in turn drives better outcomes for both our colleagues and the clients we represent. I am lucky that this environment is created from senior management within Reeds and is fostered throughout the business, but I know that not all individuals are fortunate enough to be in this position. Less than 50% of countries worldwide protect LGBTQIA+ individuals from workplace discrimination, highlighting how far we still have to go.
This Pride Month, I hope we not only celebrate how far we’ve come but also recommit to the principles that underpin true inclusion, by listening to lived experiences, engaging in difficult conversations, and challenging those who reinforce outdated norms.
Pride is not just a celebration; it’s a reminder of the progress we’ve made, the work still to be done, and the importance of visibility in every profession, including law.