Katelyn (Katie) Nash on LinkedIn: Couldn’t have said it better myself! It was so wonderful working with such… (2024)

For Pride Month, we recently sat down with Maclean Rozansky, a Special Education & Humanities teacher at Phoenix Springfield, who identifies as queer. Check out our interview below!Q: Thinking back to your life as a young person in school, were there any LGBTQ+ educators or allies in your life who helped you feel seen or affirmed your identity in the moment?A: My 6th-12th grade costume shop teacher Lara Kirksey, and Emily Mackintyre, my Stage Management teacher. Both of them accepted and loved me for exactly who I was in every moment of my life, from the time I was 11 years old to today. I wouldn't be the person that I am today without either of them. Q: Are there any ways that your LGBTQ+ identity intersects with your work as a teacher? If so, how?A: I think my own experience and the experiences of other LGBTQ+ people in my life have helped me learn to hold space for myself and others. In my relationships with my students, my hope is to meet each individual where they’re at the way my teachers did for me. Especially as teachers, we should learn about the context of our own and others’ intersectional experiences, but we can’t assume we know how an individual walks through the world without hearing their perspective. Every student should have the space to express and define themselves. Q: As we celebrate Pride Month this year, is there anything occurring in the world or in your community that is resonating with you?A: There’s a tendency to look around and assume that, because we’ve “come so far,” LGBTQ+ issues are no longer a concern - to make jokes, throw around words, or dismiss someone’s fears because it doesn’t seem that deep in the moment. But it is. We have to recognize things like the persistently high rate of housing insecure teens who are LGBTQ+, the rise in transphobia around the country, and the cumulative weight of jokes or casual comments to those they disrespect. In order to address these and other factors that threaten the ability of all LGBTQ+ people to live freely, safely, and happily, we need to centralize and celebrate the voices of systematically marginalized people within the LGBTQ+ community. Q: What message, if any, do you have for our young people?A: You aren't required to have a permanent definition for yourself to live your life in a way that feels right now or present in a certain way to be valid in your identity. If you find a label, definition, or category that feels accurate and using it is helpful for you that's great but if not, know that you don't have to have one. The world around you may attempt to define you based on others perceptions but those perceptions don't make you who you are. No one knows you as well as you know yourself.Thank you, Maclean!#provingitspossible #edthataddsup #pridemonth2023 #Pride

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WHAT? I am an LGBTQIA+ #LinkedInTopVoice 🤩Okay, woah. Let's take a step back and have a brief recap of this adventure.I started posting on LinkedIn in January 2022, I think.I didn't know where I was, and I didn't know where I was going. I was just starting to be completely out at work as #nonbinary, and once I felt how good it was to be simply me, I decided that I did not want to step back anymore. Instead, I wanted to make sure to play my little part in this game so that, hopefully, other people wouldn't feel that fear, guilt and shame that I experienced (and still experience) by simply existing.I did not get the billions of followers in these 18 months. My #queer activism and advocacy continue outside LinkedIn as well, and that takes time and energy. However, I find it crucial to feel like I am both virtually in here, and physically out there, putting all my efforts into building a more equitable, inclusive and respectful world.If you are reading this post, and you want to take a step too (as an ally or as an advocate), here are very simple tips to make the most out of this #PrideMonth 🌈 1. Educate yourself - ask Google the most basic questions!2. Ask your LGBTQIA+ colleagues and friends how you can support them in the various settings and put their suggestions into practice (!!)3. Advocate for gender-neutral language, facilities and practices 4. Pay attention to #pronouns and practice using they/them, please 5. Take responsibility and speak up, especially as an ally, whenever you witness discrimination or microaggressions6. Connect and engage with LGBTQIA+ speakers, trainers, and professionals7. Tackle your unconscious biases without fear but only to become a better person8. Support local grassroots queer organisations and collectives - they are the ones who truly need financial support to keep fostering a sense of community that saves lives 9. Question yourself - this is the core of the queer experience, trust me10. Celebrate LGBTQIA+ people, their achievements and their moments of euphoria all year longLastly, I want to take this opportunity to look back and be proud of the way I have come, but even more, of everything that still has to happen. Coming out as #trans made my life much more joyful, full of love and support. I wouldn't want it any other way.

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INCLUSIVE REPRESENTATIONS THROUGH INTERSECTIONAL MEDIA PRACTICES Dear friends and colleagues, you are warmly invited to this event facilitated by Dr. Catalin Brylla (Bournemouth University), Dr. Christopher Pullen (Bournemouth University) and Dr. Dennis Olsen (University of West London):Inclusive Representations through Intersectional Media PracticesWed 22nd May, 12.00 – 14.00, FG06, Fusion Building, Bournemouth UniversityPart of the BU Festival of Media Production, this interactive workshop explores intersectional practices for fostering inclusion in the media production workplace and for crafting inclusive representations. Drawing on his latest monograph "Documentary Stereotypes: Using Factual Media to Reduce Stigma" (Palgrave, 2023), Catalin Brylla will discuss how connecting diverse social groups in media representation can reduce prejudice and promote inclusion. Chris Pullen’s research on LGBTQ+ and self-reflexivity within media production will provide additional context of ‘placing yourself within the frame’ in relation to performativity as discussed in his book “Gay Identity and New Storytelling in the Media” (Palgrave 2009 & 2012). Finally, Dennis Olsen will explore the challenges of diversity and equity within the narrative and time constraints of short media formats, such as advertising, drawing on his extensive research into the media representation of older adults.This session will feature breakout groups focusing on designated topics related to media practices and inclusion. These groups aim to integrate media professionals, researchers and students for collaborative discussions and networking. They also encourage media makers to critically consider their ‘positionality’ and how their own social identities relate to those of collaborators and represented communities.Register here for free:https://lnkd.in/d9RPeYrw

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Did you know LGBTQ+ people in STEM are more likely to experience workplace harassment & consider leaving their jobs compared to their heterosexual & cisgender peers?Join our symposium on May 30 in Washington, DC, to hear from policymakers, researchers, and community members about the current landscape impacting LGBTQ+ individuals in STEM.https://buff.ly/3q6ixjT

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"If you are reading this post, and you want to take a step too (as an ally or as an advocate), here are very simple tips to make the most out of this #PrideMonth 🌈 1. Educate yourself - ask Google the most basic questions!2. Ask your LGBTQIA+ colleagues and friends how you can support them in the various settings and put their suggestions into practice (!!)3. Advocate for gender-neutral language, facilities and practices 4. Pay attention to #pronouns and practice using they/them, please 5. Take responsibility and speak up, especially as an ally, whenever you witness discrimination or microaggressions6. Connect and engage with LGBTQIA+ speakers, trainers, and professionals7. Tackle your unconscious biases without fear but only to become a better person8. Support local grassroots queer organisations and collectives - they are the ones who truly need financial support to keep fostering a sense of community that saves lives 9. Question yourself - this is the core of the queer experience, trust me10. Celebrate LGBTQIA+ people, their achievements and their moments of euphoria all year long."#gender #community #people #experience #language #google

To celebrate Switchboard - National LGBTQ+ Helpline upcoming 50th Birthday in 2024 and celebrate the vast creativity within the #LGBTQIA+ communities, they have launched a poetry competition and are calling for submissions around the theme of “A Poem for Switchboard”.Whether you have reached out to Switchboard yourself, been a volunteer or simply understand the importance of a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community, they would love to hear from you.Some examples of things you could write about include:Your experience calling or chatting with Switchboard in the past and the impact this had on youReasons why you might have never reached out to Switchboard, but would like to or wanted toThe importance of safe spaces for the LGBTQIA+ communityLGBTQIA+ role modelsPeople who were there for you, but may no longer beThe need to have someone to listen to or communicate your thoughts and feelings withYour hopes and fears for the future50 years of activism and change in our communities Click here (https://lnkd.in/eVaMxP-y) to read more about the competition, as well as get the T's & C's.A few important things to note about the competition:Maximum of 50 lines per poem.Poems may be submitted anonymously or attributed to their author.Closing date: 5th February 2024All poems must be the unpublished work of the person entering them into the competition.Successful entries will be assessed by our judging poets and winning poems will be published by Switchboard.There is no financial reward attached to this competition, but we will be inviting the winning authors to a Switchboard reception.Please email your submissions to poems@switchboard.lgbt

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In honor of #Pride Month, I share eye opening work on the #LGBTQ experience in STEM by Professor Erin A. Cech.It’s truly sobering to learn key insights from her study: LGBTQ professionals in STEM are 30% more likely to experience workplace harassment compared with their non-LGBTQ peers. Furthermore, many experience a chilly culture that leads to professional roadblocks and a sense of exclusion.Cech and Professor T. J. Waidzunas, surveyed more than 25,000 #STEM workers (1,000 of whom identified as LGBTQ). Their findings reveal the costs of a non-inclusive culture:LGBTQ respondents who reported feeling less supported and valued in their workplace suffered from more physical and mental health issues. 💔 What can you do to make your workplace more #inclusive? 🌈 1. You can advocate for LGBTQ+ status to be included in employee engagement surveys.🌈2. You can notice exclusionary behaviors and advocate for change & create a safe space for everyone to share and be accepted for who they are. 🌈3. You can also consider inclusive word choices & phrases that reinforce stereotypical norms. We can start with meaningful “small wins”, it’s often those in-the-moment behaviors that can play an outsized role in signaling that folks matter. #pride2023 #diversityequityinclusion

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I'm going to be EXTREMELY real with y'all today. Today is the first day of October, aka LGBTQ+ History Month! My schedule is usually jam-packed with in school programs, library, and community events to celebrate our LGBTQ+ historical figures and programming for important tentpole dates like National Coming Out Day, Spirit Day, and International Pronoun Day. But not this year.Booking just one event has gone from cold inbound emails from educators begging to fit into my schedule, to pulling teeth to confirm a last minute date.So what's changed? Has my work become less relevant? Definitely not, I know from conversations with clients, parents, and colleagues that the need for LGBTQ+ family and elementary programming has increased!Have I slacked off on my marketing?Nope! I went on a seven-city tour to promote my book and work this past June. Surely that would have put me on people's radar? Plus I just came off a large press whirlwind that introduced me to a bunch of new people!Am I getting worse at my job?Well, I can't say I'm the most brilliant entrepreneur at all times, but have I cultivated a niche expertise and respect in my field with 7 years of hard on the ground work to show for it? Yes, absolutely I have. So what is it? My hypothesis; people are *scared*People are scared of the protests outside Drag Story Hour events and school board meetings. They are scared of the backlash that threatens any LGBTQ+ affirming program brings in today's political climate. They're not entirely wrong to be scared. Because, you see, that's the point. The protests...they're working. Because maybe you are someone who is scared...The Trevor Project's 2023 US National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ Young People found that 41% percent of LGBTQ young people seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year. Guess who doesn't care that you're scared...That same study found that roughly half of transgender and nonbinary young people found their school to be gender-affirming,and those who did reported lower rates of attempting suicide.LGBTQ+ affirming programming literally saves lives. Are you going to be part of the solution, or are you going to stay scared? My email is hello@queerkidstuff.com if you want to talk about it.

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I'll just start in spring … 😴That's NOT what these legends said.Holly, Dylan, Matthew, Akil, Ben, Igor, Jacob, Kristina... And you might feel triggered to turn away from this post, and that's ONLY because you truly know that achieving your dream desire of confidence and authenticity is what you want to happen.Not from May.Not after Easter.Not in 2025...Right NOW.So, let's dive in!I want to take a moment to celebrate the incredible people in my private WhatsApp group for Queer & LGBTQ+ Professionals (and allies). These legends are creating a supportive and empowering community where we uplift and inspire one another.In this group, we share our triumphs and challenges, celebrate our unique journeys, and provide valuable insights and resources.It's a safer space where we can be our authentic selves, without fear or judgement.But here's the best part: we're not just focused on the future. We're making things happen NOW. Together, we're supporting each other in achieving our dream desires, whether it's advancing our careers, building meaningful relationships, embracing self-love, or finding balance and fulfilment in life.Every week, I share a 5-15 minute voice note filled with impactful nuggets from the coaching and therapy world. These little gems have made a significant difference in people’s lives, helping them navigate personal and professional growth with confidence and authenticity.So, if you're ready to join this incredible community, drop me the word "WHATSAPP" and I'll share with you how we can easily make your dream desires happen... together! 🙌🏼And remember, you don't have to wait for the perfect moment or a specific date on the calendar. The time to move into action is NOW. Let's take that first step together and embark on a journey of growth, empowerment, and meaningful connections.#mentalhealth #lgbt #lgbtq #transgender #menshealth

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Today, I want to share a deeply personal and empowering experience with all of you. It’s the first day I’ll be taking 0.5mg per week of testosterone, I can't help but reflect on the incredible journey that has led me here. This moment is nothing short of pure gender euphoria, and I feel compelled to express just how alive it makes me feel, even in a world that often tries to cast me as a monster.To truly understand the significance of this milestone, we must acknowledge the immense struggles faced by trans individuals. Society often imposes rigid expectations and norms, creating a dichotomy that can leave many feeling alienated and unseen. But within the chaos of this reality, I have discovered an authentic self, bursting with vibrant colors and undeniable strength.The journey of self-discovery has been a rollercoaster of emotions—a blend of joy, self-doubt, and resilience. Yet, in the face of adversity, I have discovered a profound sense of purpose that transcends the boundaries set by others.As I inch closer to my lifetime dose of 0.5mg per week, you are all getting to meet the me that aligns my physical appearance with my true identity, an identity that I have known since I was old enough to think.As my physical appearance matches my insides, a profound sense of euphoria envelops my being. It's a feeling that transcends mere happiness or contentment—it's an all-encompassing state of bliss. Gender euphoria is the elation and freedom that blossoms when our true selves are acknowledged and celebrated. For far too long, I grappled with feelings of invisibility, battling a society that questioned and challenged my identity at every turn. But today, as I approach this monumental milestone, I feel more alive than ever before. Yes, the world may continue to hurl its misunderstanding and judgments my way, but I stand tall in the face of it all. I am not a monster; I am a radiant, beautiful soul—a testament to the power of authenticity and self-love.With love and unyielding joy,Layton - a butterfly in a bow tie #transrightsarehumanrights #transrights #lgbtqiaplus #lgbtqrights #lgbtqcommunity #lgbtqpride

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