Be the flag in the window: lululemon's Mary Hatch on allyship

By Mary Hatch, Vice President, Global Trade & Outbound Logistics, lululemon

When I think about how to be an ally to the LGBTQ+ community, I think about a story I read years back. It involved an LGBTQ+ teen who lived in a rural town, and didn’t know other gay people in the community. Every day on their way to school, they would pass a house that had a pride flag taped in the corner of their living room window for everyone to see. The teen shared that seeing that flag, they knew that if there was ever an issue, or if they didn't feel safe, there was a friendly place that they could go. And how just having that knowledge, of one family in the community, gave them a bit of solace. And it’s not that there weren't necessarily other supportive people in the town, but that this house made their support visible.

So I always think to myself, be that flag in the window. Make my support and love visible. How does that translate at work? First, I’ve tried to change my language. I don’t make assumptions about the identity of someone’s partner, or child. I wait until the person shares with me. I try and be visible in my support. So I publish my pronouns in my signature and on Zoom and Teams. I talk about my LGBTQ+ family members at work. I share regular, everyday stories about their regular, everyday lives. I make sure to speak favorably about certain decisions and events that are happening in the world that positively impact LGBTQ+ rights. I also try to do my homework. I know there is a lot that I don’t know. And I try to educate myself, and to be open and curious with people I meet, and to not be defensive about what I don’t know. So much of being an ally is listening, and trying to understand someone else’s experiences and then taking that knowledge and changing your behavior based on what you’ve learned. And I try and take action, by joining Pride activities like parades, and donating to LGBTQ+ organizations.

Being an ally is a verb, it’s how you show up, it’s how you use your privilege, and it actively centering empathy, humanity and respect. 

Make your support visible. Be the flag in the window.