Let’s make one thing clear: pride month is so much more than parades and rainbows.
It’s a month to celebrate feeling at home in your body, or to give voices to those who don’t. It’s a time to validate intersectionality, to validate one’s own personal experiences, to validate those who feel confusion, or those who have never been more sure. It’s also important to honor those who have fought decades prior, and continue to do so today, for the rights of the LGBTQIA community.
It’s all about creating a safe space and celebrating all experiences within the LGBTQIA community in a world where, unfortunately, total inclusivity in workplaces is beyond our reach at this time.
The world of design and architecture, much like any art form, serves as a beacon of expression and celebration of culture and identity. The ways in which this is expressed has surfaced significantly over the past few decades, where the voices of various LGBTQIA creatives are pushed to be heard and understood. Equality in their work is truly what’s valued, and is achieved through pushing the boundaries surrounding generalized ideas of how space is interpreted.
Some of these designers are highlighted here and celebrated for their voice in bringing due change and representation.
A.L. Hu
A.L. Hu works at the nexus of gender justice and architectural labor as a queer, non-binary designer of color. At Ascendant Neighbourhood Development in East Harlem, they are now working to provide sustainable and equitable housing for New York neighborhoods.
With a Master’s in Architecture form Columbia University, alongside a B.A. in Architecture and a minor in sustainable design from the University of California, Berkeley, they also operate an online network for LGBT+ designers named ‘Queeries,’ and collaborate with an organization called ‘Design as a Protest,’ which works to eliminate inequity in design (Rethinking the Future).
Sawyer DeVuyst
As a transgender man, this bicoastal model, actor, artist, and founder of Saw (2010) has designed the spaces of a few considerably notorious establishments. DeVuyst’s furniture makes its appearance at the Wythe Hotel, Etsy Headquarters, Chad Dickerson, Amazon headquarters, BCBG, Kate Spade, and Willoughby General. His contributions not only add a pop of modernism and playfulness within commercial spaces, but provide a sense of representation to those who resonate.
Jane Greenwood
Jane Greenwood, co-founder of the Lesbians + Gay Architects and Designers group, is an outspoken champion for LGBT inclusion in the architectural and construction sector.
She was named one of ‘Out’ magazine’s most influential people of the year 2017 and is a well-known figure who has successfully influenced change by advocating for equality in all areas and ensuring that people from all walks of life, regardless of gender, age, or race, are included and respected in the workplace.
The powerful advocating voices of various designers and architects such as these are truly what the world needs to hear, not just in the world of design and architecture, but across all platforms. Their role contributes to a greater cause by helping others feel seen, heard, represented, and accounted for.
A big thank you to members of the LGBTQIA community for allowing the space for us to celebrate and discuss the cause and efforts made to elaborate on ways to encourage inclusivity and representation. Happy pride!
