CGI's Hannelore Bennett on why we need to stand up for LGBTQ+ rights 

Join myGwork for an insightful interview on DIVA magazine with Hannelore Bennett, an Application Support Analyst at CGI in the UK, as she shares her inspiring journey advocating for LGBTQ+ rights. Hannelore's perspective on inclusivity has been shaped by her experiences and relationships within the LGBTQ+ community.

From her origins as an English teacher to her multifaceted career at CGI, Hannelore champions a welcoming workplace that embraces diversity. Discover how her passion for supporting LGBTQ+ employees has evolved and the initiatives CGI undertakes to inspire inclusivity.

"Can you share your personal journey with the LGBTQIA community?

Growing up in the Middle East, there wasn’t much exposure to the LGBTQIA community. I remember first reading Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonrider of Pern series and being a bit confused by what I initially thought was a typo regarding a character’s gender. It was only when I re-read the previous pages, it clicked. After that, I became more and more aware of the community around me. When I was studying A-Levels and then at university, my exposure to the community grew again. When a friend asked if I would be ok with him bringing a boyfriend to my wedding, I was more concerned with him being happy than what gender his partner was.

I’ve had several friends share with me over the years that they were bi, gay or queer, and it was when my nibling started sharing with me how they felt about girls and their own gender explorations that I became more involved with the community. I was the one of the first adults in their life they told when they identified as bi, and then non-binary. It’s been amazing watching them grow into the person they are. They’re amazing, having dealt with pediatric cancer, coming out recently to the rest of the family and now smashing it at Uni where they run their own Pole Dancing Society. I can’t wait to see what else they’re going to do in their life and will always be one of their biggest fans."

Read the full interview on DIVA here.