I was also profiled in an internal Snapchat newsletter, and offered these words:

I always say that being gay is a superpower. Being LGBTQ+ taught me to transgress boundaries and defy expectations, and showed me just how impoverished any idea of "normal" is. It's deepened my empathy for anyone who sits outside the mainstream. And it's opened up my own idea of what's possible, an essential element of creativity.

That said, if you're paying attention, you know that being LGBTQ+ still limits many people's freedom and safety in this world — especially if you're Black, and especially if you're transgender. Pride has never been (just) about being cute. It's a fight against oppression that is very much alive today.

In my everyday life, I'm not waving a Pride flag everywhere I go. But being LGBTQ+ comes to the front for me at work, for two reasons. First, I feel responsible for modeling that "it gets better" for anyone who's younger and beginning to grapple with their sexuality, who's scared or holding a secret. I can use my privilege to normalize things like correcting clients when they ask about my "husband," and make it easier for those who follow. And second, I take seriously the platform Snapchat has to make millions of LGBTQ+ users feel seen, safe, and worthy.

For that reason, to me, it's not ok and it's not enough to show up as a platform for Pride once a year with rainbows and flags. When millions of youth are watching, we owe them more. I would like to see us approach Pride, both in our client campaign work and in our platform efforts, with intention and purpose. Imara Jones, our guest speaker on Monday, said it best: "Say that what your Pride is gonna be about is uplifting and spotlighting under resourced people and people who are not seen. And you can do that in a way that enhances your brand but doesn’t center your brand in the way your marketing team is really comfortable with." 

Let's get uncomfortable with the ideas we fight for. Putting our values into action might mean pushing back and making waves. I hope we all find the will to step outside of the mainstream and stand up for the most vulnerable of our users, because we can.