This year's theme is 'Start the conversation…keep it going'. With this in mind, MinterEllison Lawyer Will Vu, spoke to Research Clerk, Renee Shike about her personal experiences transitioning from university to the workplace. They also spoke about what it means to her to be able to bring her whole self to work each day and how they think organisations can keep the conversation about supporting LGBTQ+ young people going beyond Wear it Purple Day.
Will Vu (WV): What does it mean to you to feel safe and empowered to bring your whole self to work?
Renee Shike (RS): I pretty much have a royal flush of diversity cards. I’m queer, which for me encompasses both the fact that I’m a lesbian and don’t necessarily identify with the female label. I’m also half-Japanese. I grew up in Australia and am very culturally Australian, but I’ve had experiences that have been shaped by being seen as an Asian. I mean, pick a struggle, right? Because of all these intersections that I fall across, I’ve come up against barriers and had experiences where I wonder whether I was treated a certain way because of stereotypes based on my race, gender or sexuality. Very rarely have I found people that have seen me for my whole self. But MinterEllison is one of those places where I have found so many wonderful people who want to know me: Renee. I'm proud to say that I work at MinterEllison and I already feel like I am thriving because of the wonderful work being done in the diversity and inclusion space.
In saying this, we need to be not only celebrated but included at all levels of the profession. We need to see more culturally and linguistically diverse people and queer people in leadership positions.
Without visibility, role models and mentors, there are still significant barriers to diverse people progressing.”
Renee Shike, Research Clerk
So we need to continue to push for change so we can break through the bamboo and rainbow ceilings.
As someone newer to the workforce, how did you find the transition from university to the workplace? What are some of the key things you noticed during this transition, and what else do you think workplaces can do to assist new starters?
One of the key reasons I chose MinterEllison was because of their reputation for championing diversity. It was really important to me that I would be able to be openly queer at work and continue to advocate for diversity. But naturally, with any life transition or when entering new environments, there are always nerves – even more so when you're from a diverse background.
It’s the little things that make a big difference. For example I’ve noticed lots of pride flags on people’s monitors and doors, which tell me on first instance that I’m among friends, and constantly seeing them everywhere is a reminder that I am in a supportive environment.
Normalising the use of pronouns in introductions and email signatures is also important. As someone who appears female, but uses she/they pronouns, my pronouns are often missed.
Having a visibly diverse community and a wide network of supportive people in the PRIME network has been crucial to my transition to work. Little things that PRIME does like the Rupaul's Drag Race Rucaps have meant a lot as I can bond with people who I don't directly work with.
Finally, events like our Wear It Purple panel are important. They not only create space for people to share their stories and give attendees an opportunity to learn more, but they also generate further conversation as people reflect and comment on these events. This goes to the theme of Wear It Purple this year, ‘Start the conversation, keep it going’. I’ve already had conversations that have come out of our WIP panel event with The Asian Leadership Project this year and I’m really keen to keep it going.
I’ve come to realise that ‘professionalism’ at MinterEllison is not defined by appearance, but rather your attitude and the work you do.”
Renee Shike, Research Clerk
We're both Asian and LGBTQ+, but while we have the same intersecting identities, everyone has their own individual experience. What's your take on entering the workforce from an LGBTQ+ perspective vs a culturally diverse perspective vs bringing an intersecting identity?
I think there are certainly overlaps when considering entering the workplace from those perspectives, but the main difference for me is that, just like I did, queer people can often hide parts of themselves but there’s often no hiding your heritage.
So walking into a workplace as a queer person, people often can't visibly tell that you're queer. Walking into a workplace as an Asian person, people can make assumptions about you just based on your features. I know that as a biracial person, I am sometimes perceived as white, sometimes as Asian and sometimes people can’t pick it. So I don’t always suffer the negative stereotypes of being of Asian heritage. However, for most people from ethnically diverse backgrounds, they cannot hide their heritage to avoid discrimination.
There are also differences in the assumptions people make. The stereotypes around being queer have no impact on a person’s work. However, assumptions about a person’s language and comprehension skills, and cultural competence that are made based on someone’s cultural or linguistic background can have serious consequences for their employment. A study has found that people with Chinese names have to submit 68% more applications to receive the same amount of job interviews as a person with an Anglo-Saxon name (NSW Law Society). This highlights the tangible consequences that assumptions and stereotypes based on heritage have on your career prospects.
For me, intersectionality means seeing past the labels and seeing people for their whole selves. An intersectional approach means that we recognise that people who are LGBTQIA+ or from a culturally and linguistically diverse background may have similar experiences as others in these communities based on these identities, but no two experiences are the same.
From your perspective, how can employers best support their people who are navigating the coming out or transitioning process?
The coming out or transitioning process is an immensely personal experience and no two people are the same. Coming out is also not a one-time thing, it happens every time you enter a new environment or meet new people. I think the best thing that people and employers can do is be open and create space. This means combatting your assumptions about a person, and not assuming their pronouns, gender or those of their partner. It means being open to being wrong about others’ gender or sexuality, but quickly fixing it and moving on without labouring the point. It also means being open to peoples’ changing identities and respecting them for their whole selves.
On an organisational level, having communities like the PRIME network, which is dedicated to diversity and inclusion, creates visibility. I'd also really like to see specific and transparent paid leave policies for people affirming their gender. This ensures that people are not financially penalised for their identity and an open policy sends a clear message that trans and gender diverse people are supported and seen.
More generally, what are one or two key things that people can do to better support LGBTQ+ youth?
First, being open to learning. The reason I say you need to be ‘open’ to learning and don’t simply say ‘educate yourself’ is because it recognises that conversations around sexuality and gender are constantly changing. Language that was acceptable even two years ago is no longer used by the queer community, and words like ‘queer’ that were considered slurs throughout the 20th century have been reclaimed. I think the best way to learn is to open a conversation. I personally love chatting about all things LGBTQIA+, but you should always be respectful of people’s boundaries. In saying this, it shouldn’t always be the job of queer people to educate others, so using resources from Minus18 and Wear It Purple to learn more is great and even following a queer account so you can learn little things every day through your social media scroll (@mattxiv is great!). These conversations and resources can equip you to be more mindful about the language you use and help you to create an open environment where people can be themselves.
Second, to best support LGBTQIA+ youth, we should also recognise that they are at an increased risk of mental health issues and homelessness. Donating to LGBTQIA+ charities, volunteering time to community legal centres and participating in law reform submissions are all ways we can use our skills and resources to support LGBTQIA+ youth.
Last but definitely not least, following on from Wear it Purple day how do you think organisations can best keep the conversation going?
Create space for people to share their stories. Whether this be though formal events or just being open to conversation, allowing people the opportunity to share is crucial. This story telling can also create better allies, because they can better understand the adversity faced by LGBTQIA+ people and it can give them a personal connection that makes them more passionate about advocacy.
