At Proofpoint, our people - and the diversity of their lived experiences, backgrounds, thinking, perspectives, and work skills - are the driving force behind much of our success. Everyone is valued and appreciated for their lifestyles, thoughts and talents, all of which contribute to the growth and sustainability of our business and the strength of our communities.
June is a month-long global celebration of Pride every year in many countries. While we as a company stand with the LGBTQIA+ community each and every day, we join the world each June to recognize and celebrate the importance of inclusion and diversity at our company and in our communities.
This month, we are excited to run our inaugural Pride at Proofpoint blog series, where each week, we feature an employee who has volunteered to participate as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community or as an Ally.
This week’s post features Daniel Brosh, Recruiting Coordinator, based in Tel Aviv, Israel.
What does Pride mean to you?
For me, Pride was something that I had to learn. I think it has a lot to do with how confident you feel with your identity, so it’s definitely something that grew on me. In the past, wherever I went I tried to make my trans identity visible only in certain ways, which meant exposing who I am, but only what I wanted to share. Today I’m proud of the transgender man that I am – it’s a very strong part of my whole identity as a person. I’ve been through many hardships because of my transgender journey – and I stand tall and proud of what I’ve achieved.
What is something you’re excited to do this month in celebrating your identity and Pride?
I’m excited about the Pride events in my country, Israel. I hope to go to as many as I can, even though it’s not as simple as in previous years since I’m now a father of two babies. One of the main Pride events I enjoy is the Tel Aviv Pride Parade which is happening on Friday, June 10th. It has always been a symbol of how positive this community can be and that that the celebration and the act of fighting for your rights do not have to come at the expense of one or the other.”
About what one LGBTQIA+ community misconception would you like to educate others?
I think there is one big misconception about all letters of LGBTQIA+. There’s no one way of being a lesbian or gay or bi; each person has their own story or identity and more. We’re all different. Don’t expect one person or one movie to explain how we all are or how we all act.
How do you celebrate your identity at Proofpoint, and what’s been your proudest moment here?
I try to make myself more visible during Pride months/days. I love the fact that Proofpoint has a Pride Employee Inclusion Group (EIG) so we can all share and come up with ideas to make ourselves feel more comfortable. Last year I shared my story and my journey as a transgender man with all Proofpoint Israel employees. It was very exciting. I’m happy that I work at such an accepting place.
What are some ways that people can be effective allies now and all year long?
I think that one way of showing acceptance is posting something on your social media, which can be as simple as posting the Pride flag. Personally, my boss having a profile picture with a Pride frame is the reason I work here today.
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