As a media company, representation, diversity, and celebrating different perspectives is incredibly important to us. In celebration of Pride Month, we spoke to a few of our BurdaLuxury colleagues to hear what pride means to them.
What does ‘Pride’ mean to you?
Sean Tham – Social Media Manager, BurdaLuxury Singapore
“For me, ‘Pride’ means to be happy, to be content, and to be part of myself. Growing up as a part of LGBTQIA+ community, things haven’t always been easy because people made fun of me, called me names and you know, being ‘weird’ in a sense because I don’t fit into the particular mold of what society thinks normal to be as. So yes, it is important for me to be happy and to be content with myself because at the end of the day, if I can’t be happy with myself, ‘Can I make other people happy?’ No, I mean that was a rhetorical question, but the answer is ‘no’. So, yes, it’s very important for me to be happy and to be part of myself.”
Mayukh Majumdar – Entertainment Editor, Lifestyle Asia India
“Tim Cook, Chief Executive Officer at Apple once said that he considers being gay among the greatest gifts that God had given him. I really resonate with this statement of his but this belief hasn’t come easy. As queer people, we are often made to feel like second-class citizens and abominations of the Earth and as children, we tend to believe such statements. Shame comes easy to queer children because of the society we live in. In many countries, being from the LGBTQI+ spectrum is seen as a death sentence. As I’ve grown older and thanks to my privilege, I’ve accepted my queer identity, so today, ‘Pride’ for me means celebrating my true self. ‘Pride’ to me means protest and a legacy of great individuals who have put their lives on the line to ensure I have the rights I have today. ‘Pride’ to me means never forgetting queer icons who paved the way for me to be who I am today. ‘Pride’ to me is also bittersweet because I am reminded of those thousands of individuals who died because the State was against them and because society never saw them as human beings.”
Mallie Maran – Writer, Lifestyle Asia Kuala Lumpur
“What ‘Pride’ means to me is to be happy in your own skin, to be proud of who you are, and just being yourself without being worried about what other people think about you.”
Vichayuth “Kook” Chantan – Content Writer, Lifestyle Asia Thailand
“All the parades and events are not only to celebrate our identities but also a cry to our voices be heard, and our existence to be seen as valid. As of now, I cannot get married to the man I love, nor can I visit him in the hospital when he gets sick. Even when I stay with him for as long as I can, I’m not considered part of the family. If he dies, I can’t get any keepsakes; I can’t get anything as memory unless his family lets me.
There are still some people out there who still think they are better off dead than be who they are. As long as someone like that exists in the world, ‘pride’ is still important. And that’s what ‘Pride’ means to me.”
If you’d like to be a part of a fast-growing media company that celebrates diversity, check out our careers page here. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
