Respect the Spectrum: Optica Celebrates Pride 2022
Sammi Bradley, Digital Communications Coordinator, Optica
Science knows no country, because knowledge belongs to humanity, and is the torch which illuminates the world. – Louis Pasteur
Every June, Pride Month commemorates the LGBTQ+ community’s identity, activism and accomplishments, rights and push for increasing equality. First hosted on 28 June, 1970 in New York City on the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Riots, Pride shines a light on the LGBTQ+ liberation movement and the strides it has made in expanding visibility and rights for the community. The rainbow, one of nature’s most stunning optical phenomena, has long been a vibrant symbol of the movement.
The scientific community organized shortly after the first Pride, with the National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals, now known as Out to Innovate, organizing as a society for LGBTQ+ professionals in STEM in 1983. Another organization, LGBTQ+ in STEM, coordinates the annual LGBTQ+ STEMinar conference to provide LGBTQ+ scientists with a network and provide them with the opportunity for them to be open in a professional setting. Optics and Photonics News (OPN) interviewed LGBTQ+ in STEM organizer Alex Bond, a conservation biologist, to discuss the importance of representation in the sciences.
Technology conferences, where the latest research and product innovations debut, are essential for STEM professionals looking to move up in their careers and broaden their professional networks. An inclusive and diverse conference experience is critical to the expansion of light science for all, and we are dedicated to facilitating a healthy environment at our conferences for the LGBTQ+ optics and photonics community. At CLEO 2022, Optica Fellow Benjamin Eggleton gave a valuable presentation, “Shaping the Wave: Achieving Success and Innovation Through a Diverse and Inclusive Workforce.” Equitable workplaces, Eggleton shared, are more innovative, agile and achieve better results than workplaces lacking in diversity and inclusion. The 2020 McKinsey report, Diversity Wins: How Inclusion Matters, revealed that the business case for diversity and the likelihood of financial outperformance has strengthened over time. The authors found that organizations who build a culture where all employees feel they can bring their whole selves to work outperform others on profitability.
At Optica, we unite a diverse, worldwide population of students, scientists, engineers and professionals. We are committed to being inclusive and strive to provide an atmosphere in which all people feel valued and respected and have access to the same opportunities. To remove barriers, we are investing in a growing suite of funding, programing and engagement opportunities. We invite you to join us in our unwavering commitment to paving the way for a brighter and more inclusive future.
One important way to do that is by shining a light onto those in our community committed to the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Recognition is awarded each year to an individual and company or university dedicated to making a difference. In 2021, Fujitsu Network Communications received this recognition in part for their efforts to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for their LGBTQ+ employees. You can nominate an individual or organization – or apply yourself – for this recognition here until 22 June 2022.
Pride Month is for everyone! Whether you are a member of the LGBTQ+ community or an ally, you can take part in and show your support for the movement. Consider attending a Pride Parade, participating in a discussion group with a local LGBTQ+ advocacy center, attending an open mic night, watching LGBTQ+ focused documentaries and movies and celebrating the accomplishments and culture of the community.
Share your Pride in optics and photonics with #RespectTheSpectrum, and tag us #OpticaPride at your Pride in optics and photonics activities on Twitter and Instagram!
For more information, contact Marcia Lesky, Sr. Director Diversity, Inclusion & Volunteer Cultivation, Optica at mlesky@optica.org.
