PRIDE AT AKT LONDON
As two proud members of the LGBTQ+ community at the helm here at AKT London, Pride is more than just a month - it’s woven into the fabric of our company.
SAFE SPACES
We probably all know our origin story by now: THEATRE! We (Ed and Andy) met performing in London’s West End, and it was this creative environment that encouraged us to live authentically: Historically, theatre has always drawn the LGBTQ+ community to it. As children we are very often artistic and creative. Theatre always was and is a safe space where we can explore who we are and express ourselves.
OUR QUEER COMMUNITY
Drama school in particular was a place where we could nurture our creativity and ‘find our tribe’. This, in our experience, as now business owners, contrasts vastly to the more corporate world. We can see a real difference.
For example, when we are in conferences we are the minority for the first time!
Here at AKT we hire a lot of performers and members of the queer community, naturally! We advocate for a safe, inclusive working environment and inspire our workforce to flourish; whoever they truly are. We’ve always surrounded ourselves with people who are part of and understand the queer community. They are innovative, passionate and yes, a little THEATRICAL, just like we are.
NAVIGATE THE CORPORATE WORLD
Like many members of the community, we spent the first half of our lives feeling alone and different, so it’s a tremendous feeling to create a workspace for everyone to feel comfortable - something the corporate world still needs to catch up on. In theatre being gay is totally normal, but now every time we meet new people we have to ‘come out’. We notice the reactions when we mention boyfriends, and straight people just don’t have to think about that. It’s not a huge problem, but it’s a constant reminder of the world we live in and how far we still have to go.
THE FUTURE OF PRIDE
Pride is, of course, a celebration of love and authenticity, but it’s still a protest. Hate crimes and the infringement of rights against our community are on the rise across the globe. So this Pride (and every day) we champion you, our Cast, to lend your support, scream loudly, be your authentic self, love fiercely, celebrate being a part of the LGBTQ+ community (or an ally) and welcome others openly, when they feel ready to.
Happy Pride, bitches! Don’t do anything we wouldn’t do.
Ed & Andy
