PRIDE...It's not just for June!

I’ll admit that when I started writing this post I had that nagging “Should I or shouldn’t I?” tug of war battle in my head, then I thought “Psssh” and this is why: It’s PRIDE month. I’m proud of who I am, I’m proud of the self-work I’ve done (and continue to do), and I’m proud of Markel’s commitment to developing a robust global Diversity & Inclusion strategy. Why should I question if it’s ok to post it?

I came out as gay in my late 20s. It was hard, really hard. Prior to that I struggled for most of my life with that secret, although depending on which of my friends you asked, it may not have been that big of a secret. It took a long time for me to be comfortable with it. Even after I came out, I struggled. Yes I was “out” but I still didn’t advertise it. I didn’t want to be referred to by people as “my gay friend/brother Joe.” I just wanted to be “Joe.”

Today I feel incredibly lucky. I’m glad I’m gay and I couldn’t always say that. It helped shape me into the man I am today, and if I’m being honest, I really like that guy! I’m happy, loved and supported. I’m comfortable with myself and I’m damn funny! Wherever I go, I PROUDLY take my whole self, including work. I also PROUDLY hung my Pride flag on my house. It’s right outside of my office window, and I catch myself peeking at it throughout the day and smiling.

Again, I'm lucky. The fact that a lot of people still struggle with themselves or experience other issues related to identity is not lost on me. If you are struggling, you can call me. If you are lacking family support, you can call me. If you want to finally say the words out loud but don’t feel you can, you can call me… and I’ll keep your secret. If you’re having a bad day and just need to vent, you can call me. If you want to share a virtual beer (Thanks a heap, COVID)... you can definitely call me! This all goes for anyone at any time, no questions asked.

This isn’t the most comfortable post for me to write, not because I’m embarrassed (I assure you, I’m not!) but I don’t post much here, so it’s new to me…and guess what? New things can be scary. New things can be confusing. New things can also be extremely exciting (plug for Markel’s D&I initiative) and I can’t wait to see where we are a year from now!

If you are still with me, I will leave you with this: Regardless of how you identify, be proud of yourself! Live YOUR best life, love who YOU want, laugh often and learn to appreciate and embrace the things that make us different.