Life at Allens
Celebrating Pride Month with ALLin
As Pride Month draws to a close, we're taking a moment to reflect on the power of community, authenticity and allyship at work. We caught up with three members of our ALLin committee, Caitlin Dagher, Andy Tolé and Nick Horton, to hear their reflections on early careers, allyship and bringing your whole self to work.
Caitlin Dagher, Lawyer
How did you get involved with ALLin?
My involvement with ALLin started very early in my Allens journey…on about day three of my clerkship! I was lucky enough to have one of the co-founders of ALLin as my performance coach, who very quickly got me in touch with members of the Melbourne ALLin committee. I've been an active member of the committee ever since, most recently stepping into the Melbourne ALLin co-chair role in June 2023.
Imagine you're back at the start of your career – what advice would you give yourself about being out at work?
Although I am still very early in my career, I think the biggest piece of advice I would give to myself at the start of my career would be that I don't have to compromise on me to be able to do interesting and engaging work. Although my sexuality doesn’t define me or directly impact how good I am at my job, it's allowed to matter, and being my complete and authentic self at work is allowed to be important to me. Now being at Allens, I have the privilege of feeling comfortable and confident in that full self at work and can do work I enjoy, but I had to prioritise me to get there.
What does allyship look like at work and why is it important?
Allyship can look like a lot of different things at work and means different things to different people. For me, the most impactful moments of allyship are often from small and innocent interactions. For example, when I meet a new colleague for the first time and mention my partner but they don't assume my partner's gender or pronouns. Moments like these make me feel seen and give me space to proactively tell my 'story', rather than having to correct someone and end up in a position where I have to support them in their awkwardness or surprise. At its core, allyship to me is when a person assumes nothing, accepts whatever the other is willing to give them and embraces whatever that is with open arms. I don't think it requires you to be super well read on LGBTQIA+ issues – it just requires you to be open and willing. The rest will come from there.
Nick Horton, Associate
What does Pride Month mean to you?
For me, Pride Month is about community. It's a potent reminder that – regardless of what life throws your way as a LGBTQIA+ person, your own self-doubts and fears navigating society knowing that you are 'different' – there will always be a community of other queer folk and allies who celebrate and embrace you precisely because of that difference, and who give you the courage to lead your life as your authentic self. It's also a reminder that being part of that community means playing your own part to lift up others, especially those members of our community who continue to face disproportionate and unjustifiable discrimination for who they are.
What was your journey to being out at work?
As a queer person, you never really stop 'coming out'. While it does get easier over time, the experience can still be bound up with the same anxiety and self-doubt (and the memory of those feelings) as the first time. Doing so in a corporate environment, especially as a young grad straight out of uni, was certainly daunting. I remember being hyper-conscious of how much of my personal life I disclosed to my colleagues; cautious about referring to my partner as 'he' or 'him'. Fortunately, I very quickly realised that I was in a safe and supportive space, one where many of my colleagues were also queer, or otherwise for whom it was a complete non-issue. That experience gave me the confidence to never look back and feel comfortable to come to work as my full self. It also gave me the confidence to be much more comfortable with my identity in my everyday life.
How did you get involved with ALLin?
I first came across ALLin at an inter-firm event. When I decided to make the move to Allens, I actively sought out the ALLin network and became a member of our Melbourne working group. The committee welcomed me with open arms and really helped smooth my transition to a new job and a new firm. Overnight, I felt like I had a ready-made community of peers and friends. It's a very special group of people, and one that I'm very proud to be part of.
Andy Tolé, Associate
How did you get involved with ALLin?
I first became involved in ALLin when I was a baby paralegal. At a time when I was as junior as could be they welcomed me and made me feel like part of the family. It has and continues to be an amazing way to meet colleagues throughout the offices and across groups.
How do you think Allens' culture supports authenticity and belonging for LGBTQIA+ employees?
When I started at Allens, I wasn't expecting it to be such a queer workplace. We have a considerable LGBTQIA+ pro bono practice and the firm puts significant funding into ALLin to ensure that we can maintain and build that sense of belonging. So when this is the standard that is set it is really easy to feel supported and by extension be authentic, because you know that it is welcomed and celebrated.
Why is it important for firms like Allens to visibly celebrate Pride?
I think in times when marginalised communities are unfairly targeted, it shows that respecting us is not just a box ticking exercise for when times are good.