DIVA meets the co-founder of Out & Wild and the Director of OUTSpoken Speakers Network.
Polly Shute is an Award Winning Inclusion and Partnership Specialist and a recognised global speaker on LGBTQIA, gender and allyship. Post a successful corporate career, she has been active in the LGBTQIA space for over 10 years, including four years on the Board of Pride In London. She now runs Out & Wild, the UK’s biggest Festival for LGBTQIA women and those who are non-binary and is the Director at OUTSpoken Speakers Network.
OUTSpoken Speakers Network was launched on 28 September, providing a new platform to amplify, connect, and support LGBTQIA women and non-binary people. Co-founded by Polly Shute and Raga D’silva, the Network aims to provide a best-in-class speaker agency, expertly designed workshops and training, curated, bespoke panel sessions, networking events and online toolkits and digital content.
What inspired you to set up OUTspoken Speakers?
Since my time on the Board of Pride In London, I have really noticed that there is a lack of voice, visibility and connective events for LGBTQIA women and those who are non-binary. I started to get so many approaches for recommendations of speakers and consultancy, that it seemed an obvious step to set up a company. Then I was introduced to Raga and with our experience and skills we felt we could make a real difference. OUTspoken is so much more than a best-in-class Speaker agency, we are excited to be a consultancy, and also work with key experts to provide focused training and networking events. Our aim is to both platform existing voices and create new voices and perspectives internationally.
What change do you hope to bring about through your own work as a speaker?
I did not come out until I was 41, and part of that was driven by not seeing people like me, especially when I worked as a Director in business. I speak because I know role models are important and it’s great when I get approached after sessions by people who tell me the impact I have had. I want to be able to talk about my experience as an LGBTQIA women, but also my wider business work, including more latterly, my role as an older entrepreneur.
How important is it to have events that connect LGBTQIA women and those who are non-binary?
I set up Out & Wild because a lot of women and non-binary people told me Prides and other LGBTQIA events did not seem to cater for them. The key insight in all our research was about connectivity, with yourself and others. Out & Wild Festival and our other events are all about meeting like-minded others through shared experiences in a beautiful outdoor setting. 30% of our attendees come solo and it’s beautiful to see so many connections and friendships made over the three days. We are proud to be an inclusive space and really challenge a small minority that says queer women and those who are gender fluid, trans or non-binary do not mix.
What challenges have you personally faced in the workplace as a lesbian?
I worked in very male-dominated sectors in my career as a Marketing Director. It was hard enough being a senior woman, let alone a queer one, especially 15 years ago. There were no networks and no Equality Act existed. When I did come out at work, on the whole, I was accepted, but I still faced questions and banter I found uncomfortable. It is better now, but it does not surprise me that queer women are almost twice as unlikely to be out at work than heterosexual women. And it really saddens me that young women are now reluctant to call themselves lesbians, due to unhelpful stereotypes that still exist.
What is your proudest achievement as a co-founder of OUTSpoken?
The event we did with Trainline in December was a proud moment. I picked the subject area of families, as we wanted a subject with seasonal relevance. The host and panel were amazing, all reflecting different perspectives. Hearing an attendee say it was “their event of the year” was amazing.
What’s one thing people can do to be a better ally for LGBTQIA women and those who are non-binary?
Being an ally starts with understanding. So it’s really important to understand how LGBTQIA women and those who are non-binary feel and some of the challenges they face, especially in the workplace. We have research you can access on our website and we also run 101 LGBTQIA women and non-binary training sessions. The lived experience of employees is also very important. With this understanding, you can then start to put in place action plans personally and professionally to address these. In March OUTspoken will launch a Charter, asking companies to follow three simple actions to initially address the lack of equity and representation on panels. This will help bring more perspectives and stories of LGBTQIA women and those who are non-binary to life.
Find out more about OUTSpoken speakers here: www.outspokenspeakers.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/outspoken-speakers-2888a4278/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/outspoken_speakers/
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