When coming out in the workplace is a political act

‘Neutrality is an invalid concept’ says lesbian activist as she explains why it is important to reveal our true identities at work. 

At the crossroads of misogyny and homophobia, lesbians face particular challenges and are often rendered invisible, says Evgenia Giakoumopoulou. 

One of the first LBGTQ+ people to come out at her high school, she engaged with social justice issues early on, and remains a strong advocate for equal rights both in and out of the workplace. Still, Giakoumopoulou says, did not fully embrace the lesbian spotlight right away. 

“In the absence of role models or visible lesbians in the career I was pursuing – or in any sector for that matter – I assumed that I needed to                conform to certain expectations in order to succeed. This was especially true regarding my gender expression, but also my attitude as if I needed to compensate for the fact that I was out by adopting some kind of irreproachability. After some time, I realized that…