Quotes
“ I want to reframe the narrative for the industry and allow everyone to express themselves authentically. ”
— Beckie Taylor
Technology Women She / Her · Pronounced: BEK-ee TAY-lor
She / Her · Pronounced: BEK-ee TAY-lor
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context Taylor, founder of Voices in Tech, on her aim for the tech industry.
“ If it wasn't for the Live Caption feature, I don't think our relationship would have blossomed. ”
— Matthew Johnston
Technology Disabled He / Him · Pronounced: MATH-yoo JON-stun
He / Him · Pronounced: MATH-yoo JON-stun
Context Johnston, Thoughtworks' Global Disability Inclusion Lead, on how live-captioning technology helped him build the relationship with his now-wife.
Read More: Disability Rights
“ A ship in port is safe, but that is not what ships are for. Sail out to sea and do new things. ”
— Grace Hopper
Technology Women She / Her · Pronounced: GRAYSS HOP-er
She / Her · Pronounced: GRAYSS HOP-er
Source: Widely attributed to Hopper · original link to be verified
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context Hopper on why she pushed computing into new, untested territory throughout her career.
“ Equality is intersectional and gives everyone freedom to be ourselves safely. ”
— Lila Schallert-Wygal
Technology Trans LGBTQ+ Ze / Zir · Pronounced: LY-lah SHAH-lert WY-gul
Ze / Zir · Pronounced: LY-lah SHAH-lert WY-gul
Context Schallert-Wygal, a Thoughtworks employee in the US, on why equality has to account for more than one axis of identity at once.
Read More: LGBTQ+ Voices
“ Many of us can sashay through swung open doors of acceptance and opportunity with grace and ease: doors pried open with the blood, sweat and tears of those before us. ”
— Frank Reta
Technology LGBTQ+ He / Him · Pronounced: FRANK RAY-tah
He / Him · Pronounced: FRANK RAY-tah
Context Reta, a Thoughtworks employee in Germany, on the debt owed to the people who won the freedoms his generation inherited.
Read More: LGBTQ+ Voices
“ We are stronger when we are together. ”
— Marta Diaz
Technology Women She / Her · Pronounced: MAR-tah DEE-ahz
She / Her · Pronounced: MAR-tah DEE-ahz
Context Diaz on what she's learned from the other women around her.
“ The LGBTQIA+ experiences across the world are as diverse as the LGBTQIA+ community itself. ”
— Karthik Darmasetti
Technology LGBTQ+ Asian They / Them · Pronounced: KAR-tik dar-mah-SET-ee
They / Them · Pronounced: KAR-tik dar-mah-SET-ee
Context Darmasetti, a Thoughtworks employee in India, on why there's no single LGBTQIA+ experience worldwide.
Read More: LGBTQ+ Voices
“ It's important to make sure the people building software for our clients are representative of the people using it because they will more likely know what the users are going to ultimately need. ”
— Amy Lynch
Technology Women She / Her · Pronounced: AY-mee LINCH
She / Her · Pronounced: AY-mee LINCH
Context Lynch, Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Thoughtworks UK, on why representative teams build better software.
“ We're proud of what we've achieved but recognise that gender is the tip of the iceberg. ”
— Amy Lynch
Technology Women She / Her · Pronounced: AY-mee LINCH
She / Her · Pronounced: AY-mee LINCH
Context Lynch, Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Thoughtworks UK, on why gender is only the most visible part of a much bigger inclusion picture.
“ I am a feminist. I have always been a feminist. ”
— Marta Diaz
Technology Women She / Her · Pronounced: MAR-tah DEE-ahz
She / Her · Pronounced: MAR-tah DEE-ahz
Context Diaz, a Thoughtworks employee, on a part of her identity she's never wavered on.
“ Equality for LGBTQIA+ folks in Thailand means 'legal equality.' ”
— Cyndy Bangsalee
Technology Women LGBTQ+ Global South She / Her · Pronounced: SIN-dee BANG-sah-lee
She / Her · Pronounced: SIN-dee BANG-sah-lee
Context Bangsalee, a Thoughtworks employee in Thailand, on the gap between social acceptance and full legal equality.
Read More: LGBTQ+ Voices
“ I am lucky. I bring the voice of someone who has survived against the odds. ”
— Dr J Harrison
Technology Trans LGBTQ+ They / Them · Pronounced: DOK-ter JAY HA-rih-sun
They / Them · Pronounced: DOK-ter JAY HA-rih-sun
Context Harrison, a Principal Consultant at Thoughtworks who identifies as Transgressive Non-Binary GenderQueer, on what they bring into rooms built for people unlike them.
Read More: LGBTQ+ Voices
“ I believe in embracing my vulnerability to inspire and impact others. ”
— Beckie Taylor
Technology Women She / Her · Pronounced: BEK-ee TAY-lor
She / Her · Pronounced: BEK-ee TAY-lor
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context Taylor, founder of Voices in Tech, on why she shares her own struggles publicly rather than only her successes.
“ It means that we still have much ground to cover in order to have equality. There are laws to be made, culture to be changed and prejudice and stereotypes to be deconstructed. ”
— Gabi Andrade
Technology Women LGBTQ+ Global South She / Her · Pronounced: GAH-bee ahn-DRAH-jee
She / Her · Pronounced: GAH-bee ahn-DRAH-jee
Context Andrade, a Thoughtworks employee in Brazil, on what equality would actually take.
Read More: LGBTQ+ Voices
“ Bravery, not perfection, gives us permission to be ourselves. ”
— Reshma Saujani
Technology Women Asian She / Her · Pronounced: RESH-mah SOH-juh-nee
She / Her · Pronounced: RESH-mah SOH-juh-nee
Context Saujani on why girls are so often taught to avoid risk in fields like computer science, and what that costs them.
Read More: Asian Voices
“ The most dangerous phrase in the language is, 'We've always done it this way.' ”
— Grace Hopper
Technology Women She / Her · Pronounced: GRAYSS HOP-er
She / Her · Pronounced: GRAYSS HOP-er
Source: Computerworld interview · original link to be verified
Context Hopper, a US Navy rear admiral and computer scientist, on resistance to change in data processing.
“ Including me is about challenging the structures that got us all around the table. ”
— Dr J Harrison
Technology Trans LGBTQ+ They / Them · Pronounced: DOK-ter JAY HA-rih-sun
They / Them · Pronounced: DOK-ter JAY HA-rih-sun
Context Harrison, a Principal Consultant at Thoughtworks, on why real inclusion means questioning the structures themselves, not just adding seats to an unchanged table.
Read More: LGBTQ+ Voices
“ For me it [Pride] means that we can't take our accomplishments for granted. ”
— Susana Santos
Technology Women LGBTQ+ Global South She / Her · Pronounced: soo-ZAH-nah SAN-tohz
She / Her · Pronounced: soo-ZAH-nah SAN-tohz
Context Santos, a Thoughtworks employee in Brazil, on what Pride means to her.
Read More: LGBTQ+ Voices
“ We have to recognize the disparity around the globe that LGBTQIA+ people experience when it comes to existing as themselves. ”
— Ben Caunt
Technology LGBTQ+ He / Him · Pronounced: BEN KAWNT
He / Him · Pronounced: BEN KAWNT
Context Caunt, a Thoughtworks employee in Australia, on why LGBTQIA+ progress isn't evenly shared around the world.
Read More: LGBTQ+ Voices
“ Technology keeps improving my independence and quality of life. ”
— Matthew Johnston
Technology Disabled He / Him · Pronounced: MATH-yoo JON-stun
He / Him · Pronounced: MATH-yoo JON-stun
Context Johnston, Thoughtworks' Global Disability Inclusion Lead and profoundly deaf since birth, on what assistive technology has meant for his own life.
Read More: Disability Rights
“ As someone whose human rights are under debate, it is scary at the moment. ”
— Dr J Harrison
Technology Trans LGBTQ+ They / Them · Pronounced: DOK-ter JAY HA-rih-sun
They / Them · Pronounced: DOK-ter JAY HA-rih-sun
Context Harrison, a Principal Consultant at Thoughtworks, on the reality of living through a period when their rights are publicly contested.
Read More: LGBTQ+ Voices
