Brian Crider is the Director of Litigation Support Services in Washington and Sepp Stalmans is the Director of Administration in Brussels.
Brian Crider, Director of Litigation Support Services, Washington
What advice would you give to someone who wants to be an ally to the LGBTQ+ community?
Don't be afraid to reach out and ask questions. Talk to your LGBTQ+ family and/or friends to better understand our collective peregrination. Most importantly, however, when inappropriate things are said or done to the LGBTQ+ community, please stand up for us. We are all in this together.
What LGBT person do you admire or book do you recommend?
I love sports and have always held Dr. Renee Richards, Billie Jean Moffat King, and Greg Louganis in high regard for their pioneering and selfless dedication to LGBTQ+ rights. I've had the pleasure to meet Billie Jean and Greg, but have only admired Renee from a distance. I would also like to recommend "The Velvet Rage" by Alan Downs as a fast and direct elucidation into what it's like growing up gay in a straight man's world.
Sepp Stalmans, Director of Administration, Brussels
What advice would you give to someone who wants to be an ally to the LGBT community?
Pride Month is an important and fun moment in the year to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, however to make it a real and lasting success we need allies to work with us throughout the year - also when times get tough. The goal is for us to be treated like anyone else. To make that happen, we also need strong allies and respect from both sides. If you feel that way I think it's important to speak up. It will empower others to do the same and will help us to achieve our goals.
What does Pride Month mean to you?
My perspective on pride month has changed drastically over the years. Typically I am not the kind of person who likes to go to big gatherings and I almost never participated in the activities around Pride Month. However, with time I have come to understand that (even now!) it is essential to "fight" for our rights and simply be proud of and celebrate who we are.
In Belgium, we have had quite a few cases of violence against LGBTQ+ people the last couple of months. Some things have changed, some laws were passed to treat us more equally… but we're not there yet. I have come to see the importance of Pride Month with my own eyes and it is something powerful: during one month we join forces, even more than usual, to show people that we are here, queer and not going anywhere!
For me it all comes down to two simple words Pride and Respect: being proud of who we are, where we come from and celebrate the people who fought for our rights in the past. It is also a reminder that we, as an LGBQT+ community, need to respect each other and stick together. Support for the LGBT+ community needs to flow naturally throughout the rest of the year. I believe we can all work on this, LGBTQ+ and allies.
My daughter always shouts out "Mama!” when I come and pick her up at the school gate and I love every single bit of it: the fact that she loves me no matter what but also because it slightly confuses people when they hear “Mama!” and still see a man appear. I hope seeing this will help people to let go of the typical stereotypes and think about diversity in all its beautiful forms.
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