Legally Bond
Legally Bond
A Special Pride Month Episode
In this special episode of Legally Bond, Kim speaks with Bond team members Laura Ryan, Gabe Oberfield, Christa Vidaver, Bob Lazzaro, Aubrey DeVeau, Sharon Wager and Kris Thorsness as they answer the question "What does Pride Month mean to you?"
Hello and welcome to Legally Bond, a podcast presented by the law firm Bond Fink King. I'm your host, kim Wolf-Price. In this special episode of the podcast, we're asking our colleagues from around the firm what does pride mean to you, in honor of Pride Month. Pride Month is a month-long celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer, also known as LGBTQ+ culture, history and identities. It's celebrated in June.
Speaker 1:Pride Month commemorates the Stonewall Riots, a series of protests that began in 1969 after police raided the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar in New York City, greenwich Village. The riots were a response to police harassment and social discrimination, and they really galvanized the gay rights movement. The first Pride Parade in the United States was actually held the following year, on the one-year anniversary of the riots Across the United States. Pride Parades have become a tradition and a cornerstone of Pride Month celebrations in the US. So our first guest is Laura Ryan. She is the proposal and editorial specialist on Bond's marketing team. I want to say thank you for joining us, laura. I definitely know that you prefer to write your thoughts than be in the spotlight. That's why I'm sincere in my thanks to say thank you for joining us today.
Speaker 2:Oh, it's my pleasure, I say reservedly I love that you guys are doing this.
Speaker 1:Well, and we appreciate you a great deal and that you're stepping outside of your comfort zone to answer the question. What does pride mean to you?
Speaker 2:Well, it's hard to describe to someone who hasn't been through the experience. But when you make the decision to live your life out and proud, it's kind of like someone has taken off a really heavy cloak of fear. Just it falls off your shoulders and the closest thing I can think to describe it is that very famous scene in the Wizard of Oz when Dorothy opens the farmhouse door and on the other side it's just a technicolor wonderland and all that oppressiveness of black and white is just gone. You just feel it when you're watching the movie and that's kind of what it feels like when you decide to live your life out and proud. So pride is the party we throw to celebrate coming out. And you know it's silly and joyful and colorful. And I think about that dark cloak when I see all those young adults running around wearing pride flags, rainbow, colorful pride flags as capes. You know the symbolism.
Speaker 1:It blows me away every year, so that's what pride means to me. Well, I really appreciate that, laura. That was beautiful and we're so glad you shared it with us, and I'm looking forward to marching alongside you at a parade this month.
Speaker 2:Me too Can't, wait this month.
Speaker 1:Me too, can't wait. Our next guest is Gabe Oberfeld. Gabe is a senior counsel working for Bond's New York City office. Gabe counsels healthcare clients on issues at the intersection of legal policy and operational affairs. Thank you for joining us again on the podcast for this special episode, gabe.
Speaker 3:It's my pleasure to be back and thank you so much for inviting me.
Speaker 1:All right, so let me ask you our question what does pride mean to you?
Speaker 3:So pride means a number of things, but in a really practical sense it means that I work at a firm where we can bring our complete selves to the workplace and that has a role in the society in which I want to live and in which I want to raise a family I'm a dad to two as well and a world in which I can walk around and feel like everyone is seen and heard and recognized for all that they are.
Speaker 3:The history that in some ways is disturbing, of inequality that includes things like access to medical care, to housing, even troubling discriminatory violence, and at our firm we have a chance to change that in small and large ways. In fact, I think have a really responsibility to each other to be allies and uplifting each other, and so I want to be at a firm and I feel, thankfully, that I am that reflects not only the culture that we should expect from each other professionally, but also that our clients, frankly, should expect of us. I want them to know that I, as well as all those with whom I work, see the world as one where we each have a role in making it better, and that includes, in small ways and large ways as well, sort of the practical lens that we bring to solving their challenges and problems.
Speaker 1:That's great. Yes, absolutely, and I think you and I have talked about this before. It's a learning journey for all of us, and it's great that we have each other to learn with along the way.
Speaker 3:Absolutely. I look at the arc of my own life and I have seen so much more visibility for individuals who identify as LGBTQI+, and it is something that I am just grateful has changed and it is an ongoing arc. It is not done yet by any stretch in my view, but I think as well, if I'm being candid, I have changed and I have become a person who more deeply understands not just what it is to feel support for community that I, don't, per se, personally identify with in the way I think of myself, but really as an ally. It's about actions. It's about who we are in really day-to-day facets of our lives that I like to think with humility. I'm getting better at, but I'm still learning too. You're absolutely right.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much, Kim. Thanks for joining us on the podcast.
Speaker 3:Thank you so much it's my pleasure to be here, so much it's my pleasure to be here.
Speaker 1:Krista Biddeber is the office manager in Bond's Buffalo, New York, office. She recently organized the firm's participation in the Buffalo Pride Parade, which is held in early June. Thanks for joining us, Krista. You're welcome.
Speaker 4:My question is what does pride mean to you? Well, growing up as a Gen Xer in the 80s, being out as LGBTQ plus was not something that one did, and if you did, if people found out or if you came out, you got beat up, death threats, bullied, ostracized. It was just such a horrible reaction to a lot of the people who came out at that time. So the fact that now, 40 years later, we have an entire month to celebrate and to connect with the whole LGBTQ plus community is just such an amazing thing and moment in time, and it's just I'm so excited every year that we get to do this with the LGBTQ plus community.
Speaker 1:Thanks so much, krista. We appreciate you sharing your thoughts today. Absolutely Next up is Bob Lazaro. Bob is the business development manager for Bond in our marketing department. I am personally grateful for Bob for his unofficial role he has taken with the Bond Pride, lgbtq plus affinity group here at the firm, helping us develop the group and really helping it come together. I mean, I guess I should say I'm just generally grateful for Bob. So the question to you, bob, is what does pride mean to you?
Speaker 6:Well, thanks, kim. It's just kind of fun actually trying to facilitate a group that's now in its second year and it's chugging along and it's well received, I think so yeah growing up in the 60s and 70s.
Speaker 6:Shame is what I grew up feeling. For all my youth into adulthood. There were very few, if any, resources to turn to, no positive role models or healthy mainstream depictions of gay culture. They just didn't exist. So having a month that celebrates our life and our self-worth is a great way to know we're not alone and there's nothing wrong with us.
Speaker 6:I definitely think it's really important for LGBTQ plus youth who, even in today's more open environment, they still fear ostracism from their families, many of them their communities, their schoolmates and friends. So that's kind of how I feel, you know, the opposite of how I grew up and that proud of where we are. But I kind of also think it's important that we understand the history of Pride, where it came from and who those people were, the brave people who stood up at Stonewall and it's basically demanded to be treated with dignity for the privilege of just going to a bar. It's taken a long time, but I've reaped the benefits of those actions, and especially kind of in the political climate we seem to be in, where progress is kind of one step forward, two steps back lately, in where progress is kind of one step forward, two steps back lately.
Speaker 1:We can't be invisible, and pride parades and other celebrations help us to be seen. Thank you so much, bob. I really appreciate you sharing that and reminding us of the importance that knowing the history just like with all of the things we talk about you know in the Pride Affinity Group and and other diversity initiatives, understanding the history, how far we've come and how far we still need to go. It's really important, so I appreciate that.
Speaker 6:Just one last thing. I saw a meme somewhere this week, because you know, the counter question to why is there a Pride Month is well, why isn't there a straight month? And the meme basically said you know, there's no straight pride month, just like there's no soup kitchens for the rich.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's a very good way, Like if you already have the privilege you don't need it. That's a very good way to think about it. Well, thanks, Bob. I always learn something from you and generally enjoy spending time with you. So thanks again.
Speaker 6:Thank you very much spending time with you, so thanks again, thank you very much.
Speaker 1:Our next guest is Aubrey DeVoe. Aubrey is the professional development coordinator at Bond, working closely with me on a variety of topics, from attorney professional development to well-being, cle, the diversity program, pro bono, I don't know, four or 500 other things. So, as you can tell, I've very much come to depend on her here at Bond in her year plus with us. So thanks, aubrey, for all that and thanks for joining us today. I know this isn't your favorite thing to do and we really appreciate it?
Speaker 7:Yes, no problem, I appreciate you having me on.
Speaker 1:All right, so let me ask you our question what does Pride mean to you? Thank you, kim.
Speaker 7:Pride Month means to me a time of celebration and recognition for the LGBTQIA plus community. You know, as an ally I'm always looking for, you know, good opportunities to show my support to the community and, you know, advocate for not only equality but, of course, equity, and I try my best to do that. I particularly enjoy this month and Pride in general because I get the opportunity to talk with individuals in all of our other offices that I don't normally speak with because of the Pride parades. A lot of people step up during this time of year. They help organize employees a bond, their friends, family to march in their local parades. So it's a great time to get together outside of work and support an amazing community that deserves to be celebrated. So that part of Pride Month I really do enjoy.
Speaker 7:The parades are always so much fun. We have one here in Syracuse. They're always inviting, colorful and super energizing. We get the whole community together in a safe place and space and it's so amazing to see kind of how happy, excited everyone is. And it's not just beautiful because of all the rainbows, flags and, you know, bright colors, but it's an inspiring sight and what I mean by that is it's amazing to see kind of how far we've come and to bring to mind how far we have left to go, and, like I said earlier, it's energizing.
Speaker 7:So I really enjoy attending those and I hope other people in the other offices have fun doing it as well. Now I don't want to take up too much time in this space and in this episode because there are more important people here to hear from, but I would like to say thank you to Legally Bond, especially Kim and Kate, for putting together this episode. It's, you know, the perfect opportunity to unapologetically celebrate the LGBTQIA plus community, not just this month, all year round. It's important, oh, and Pride Month is important as it helps to, you know, continue the conversation around equity, creating an inclusive environment at work and in the community. So thank you both and thank you for having me on, and I'm excited for this month and all the celebrations to come.
Speaker 1:Well, thanks, it is all the listeners can now know this is why I depend on Aubrey so much. So thank you for all you do. Thank you for coordinating really all these important efforts, for being a great ally and for helping us keep moving forward.
Speaker 7:Well, thank you. You make it very easy and you've been a great mentor, so thank you.
Speaker 1:Next we have Sharon Wager. Sharon is an administrative assistant as part of Bond's business department and she is based out of our Syracuse office. Thanks for joining us today, sharon. Thank you for having me. It's an honor. Yeah, we're really excited and we appreciate all of your work with our Bond Pride group and all you really do for us here at Bond. So thank you.
Speaker 8:Oh, you're welcome. It really is an honor to work for Bond. It's a really great place to work. Well, we're very glad to hear that. Well, my question to you today is what does Pride mean to you? Well, pride Month for me is an opportunity to sit back and reflect and think about other people's perspective. There is a whole huge part of our communities that are around us our local communities and our broader, larger nationwide communities that feel that they don't belong, and this is our chance to stop and think. Wait a second, what can I do to make them feel more welcome that you know that they're part of our community, they're part of our family, they're part of our friend group, they're part of our work group. I think that's the big part of what pride means to me.
Speaker 1:I really appreciate that. Thank you for sharing it. Will you be giving out mom hugs this year?
Speaker 8:I hope to. I have a new t-shirt this year, so I'm all about giving out the mom hugs when we go through the pride parades.
Speaker 1:That's terrific. All right, I'll be right there with you. Thanks again. Thank you, sharon, thank you. Thanks again, thank you, sharon, thank you. Our final guest for this special episode is Kristen Thorsness. Chris is a senior counsel working from Bond's Rochester office. She concentrates on athletic regulations, specifically gender equity and athletics, which you all might know as Title IX. In addition to her traditional legal work, chris is an arbitrator for the Court of Arbitration for Sport, an international body for sports-related disputes, and she has served on adjudicative panels for the US Olympic and Paralympic teams. She's previously been a guest on a podcast and, well, a little bit of a teaser over the summer. We hope to hear from her a little bit more, perhaps from the Paris Olympics. Thanks for joining us again on the podcast, chris, and it's great to be here. All right, so the reason we are here today is to talk about pride, so I'm going to ask you our question what does pride mean to you?
Speaker 9:I think about pride, kind of on three or four different levels.
Speaker 9:Really, part of it is looking back and looking at the history and the people who were so courageous and to live their lives authentically and expose themselves to literal attack and losing their jobs and losing their families and all of those sorts of things to bring us to where we are now, and it's been a long road and a hard road.
Speaker 9:Then I also think about it to, you know, looking forward for young people who are looking at themselves and looking for visibility. And, you know, because that visibility is so important, I think, because young people see adults, they see them living productive, honorable, loving lives and say, hey, I, you know that could be me and also as as a cautionary tale, because if we don't kind of keep our foot on the gas, there's a lot of room for backsliding. We we see a lot of states right now state legislatures and in Congress attempts to really roll back the progress that we've made in the whole array of civil rights, including gay rights, and that's something that we just simply can't allow to happen. And then I think about it too just from a personal perspective of my own sort of self-validation and self-actualization, if you will, and just being my genuine self makes me a better person in so many ways with my personal interactions, with my professional interactions and being who I am makes it just easier for me and better for me in every way.
Speaker 1:Much easier to do a great job and to excel when you can bring your whole self to what you're doing.
Speaker 9:Completely Absolutely, you know, and not playing any of those weird word games that we used to always have to play with the pronouns and pronouns seem to be kind of a new thing in our society. But gay folks have been playing with pronouns for years, centuries probably. But and you know all of the crazy things that in the professional realm gay people had to do because otherwise, you know, if you weren't fired outright, you could be marginalized. Oh, you don't really fit in, you're not really good for promotion, you can't be a good manager, all of these sorts of things, who had a friend who was their professional crutch and for every kind of professional function and client meetings, client dinners and things like that, they had a different sex person who would come with them to all of these things and sort of pose as their significant other. And I just think that's a tragedy and I like to think that that happens only rarely now because the progress has been made.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I hope so, and you're right we have to keep our foot on the gas to keep moving forward. Well, thank you so much, chris, for joining us and for sharing your thoughts today. We truly appreciate it. Thank you. Celebrations bring people together. Pride celebrations give us the opportunity to learn to embrace our differences, celebrate them and support our friends and colleagues. Thank you to all of our guests for sharing with us today, and happy Pride Month. Thank you for tuning into this episode of Legally Bond. If you're listening and have any questions for me, want to hear from someone at the firm or have a suggestion for a future topic, please email us at legallybond at bskcom. Also, don't forget to rate, review and subscribe to Legally Bond wherever podcasts are downloaded, until our next talk be well.
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