Celebrating Pride at Bird. Join us in celebrating Pride Month at Bird, as we highlight our commitment to diversity, inclusion, and community support.

• Pride Month at Bird is celebrated by centering the voices and experiences of LGBTIQ+ employees and allies.
• Pride is framed both as a celebration of progress and a reminder that there is still significant work to do globally.
• For some Birds, Pride connects deeply to justice, personal growth, and the hope that future generations will live in a world where Pride is "just" a celebration, not a struggle.
• Pride is also a lifeline for those without supportive environments, offering visibility, community, and emotional safety.
• Allyship shows up in many small, everyday choices: challenging injustice, teaching children about LGBTIQ+ issues, and visibly supporting equality (e.g., flags, conversations, openness).
• Some team members express Pride through supporting loved ones who’ve lost relationships due to lack of acceptance, reinforcing that chosen family and allies matter.
• Financial choices can be a form of allyship too: avoiding brands that lobby against LGBTIQ+ rights and actively supporting LGBTIQ+ businesses.
• Pride is seen as a yearly recognition of activism past and present — acknowledging both the progress made and ongoing struggles in different parts of the world.
• For LGBTIQ+ employees, Pride brings confidence, safety, and visibility at work, helping them feel less afraid to be open about who they are.
• A recurring theme is the importance of creating a non-judgmental, respectful workplace where everyone can show up as themselves.
• Pride is also a moment to remember the movement’s roots — from Stonewall to figures like Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and Harvey Milk — and the reality that Pride began as a riot, not a party.
• Every person is encouraged to use their platform, however small, to speak up against discrimination, create safe spaces, and ensure representation really does "matter" in practice.

• Why is it important to celebrate Pride Month at Bird?Because it honors progress on LGBTIQ+ rights, highlights ongoing inequality, and creates space for employees to feel seen, supported, and safe being themselves.

• How is Pride framed in this piece — celebration or protest?Both: it celebrates what has been achieved while openly recognizing that there is still a long way to go in many parts of the world.

• What does Pride mean for employees with children?For some, it’s about teaching their children justice, inclusion, and history — and hoping their kids will one day see Pride as a simple celebration rather than a fight for basic rights.

• How is Pride meaningful for allies with LGBTIQ+ family members?It’s a time to actively celebrate their loved ones, affirm their identities, and counterbalance the rejection or lost relationships those loved ones may have experienced.

• What everyday actions show allyship in this article?Challenging injustice, being openly supportive, teaching others about LGBTIQ+ issues, choosing inclusive brands, supporting LGBTIQ+ businesses, and creating non-judgmental spaces at work.

• Why is workplace culture highlighted in the context of Pride?Because the workplace is a common site of discrimination, and building a culture of acceptance and safety determines whether people feel comfortable being open about who they are.

• How do some employees describe the emotional impact of Pride? They describe feeling more supported, less afraid to be open about who they are, and more confident knowing community and allyship exist.

• What global perspective on LGBTIQ+ rights is mentioned? The article notes that in over a third of countries it’s still illegal to be who you are, and discrimination persists everywhere — which is why Pride must also remain a call to action.

• Why are historical figures and the origins of Pride referenced? To honor those who took great risks for LGBTIQ+ rights, remind us that Pride began as a riot against oppression, and connect current celebrations to a long history of activism.

• What role does Bird’s Head of DEI emphasize for individuals? Using your personal platform — however small — to speak up, resist discrimination, listen, learn, and create safe spaces where others can be themselves.

• How do LGBTIQ+ employees themselves “show allyship” in the story? By being openly out, thanking allies, modeling authenticity, and working to ensure that others feel safe and supported in the community and at work.

• What is the overarching message about Pride at Bird? That Pride is not just a month or a marketing moment, but an ongoing commitment to visibility, inclusion, allyship, and creating a workplace where everyone can show up as their full selves.

Frans-Jan van Steenbeek, Team Lead in Infrastructure

Why is it important to celebrate Pride Month?

It's important to celebrate what has been achieved so far for LGBTQIA+ acceptance and rights; it's equally important to recognize there's a long way to go still.

What does Pride Month mean to you?

We don't have Pride Month as such in the Netherlands, but for me Pride celebrations are connected with a deep sense of justice and a personal break with past convictions. I'd like my children to live in a world where Pride is "just" a celebration, not also part of an ongoing struggle.

How do you show allyship for the LGBTIQ+ community in your everyday life?

I'm open about my allyship, try to confront injustice when I (think I) see it, teach my children about LGBTQIA+ issues and history, and fly the rainbow when that makes sense. 🏳️‍🌈

Lucy Sanchez-Sandoval, Software Developer Associate

Why is it important to celebrate Pride Month?

It is important to celebrate Pride Month because not everyone has support systems where they feel welcomed and perhaps even feel safe to be authentically themselves. Therefore, this is a time where we as an entire community can be that support system.

What does Pride Month mean to you?

My brother is part of this community, and for me, this is a time to celebrate him and show him how proud I am of him and that I will always be there for him no matter what because unfortunately throughout the years he has lost and severed relationships that did not accept him for him.

How do you show allyship for the LGBTIQ+ community in your everyday life?

I avoid brands that actively lobby against LGBTIQ+ rights, and I frequently patronize LGBTIQ+-owned restaurants and shops.

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