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Home > Mining Companies > Vale S.A. > News > At Coming Out Day, Vale’s...
Vale S.A.

At Coming Out Day, Vale’s employees tell their stories about the difficulties faced by LGBTQIA + people

Oct 9, 2020

Marcelo, Augusto, Ane, and Frédéric have completely different stories but they share a common feeling – relief. Some of Vale’s employees tell their stories about how they faced the moment of coming out of the closet and be heard by the family and society. On the other hand, Ane tells the story of her daughter. Coming out term is widely known by the LGBTQIA+ community and has a special date on the calendar, October 11, so that the population be aware of the importance of coming out, feel free and safe, and society can learn to respect the differences.
 
 
“Coming out is an important step in our lives. Unfortunately, we all have to go through this. But by showing the world that we exist, we are not perverted or dysfunctional people, we will help the world to evolve. Our symbol is a rainbow. Let’s shine like it. Every day. Together,” celebrated the Administrative analyst at Vale in Switzerland.
 
Fréderic has joined Vale after coming out and, in less than 10 months, he joined the LGBTQIA+ affinity group in Switzerland. The Risk Management assistant Marcelo Mota has gone through it. In Minas Gerais, however, after joining the company six years ago, he had to go through some internal processes.
 
“I thought I was free by accepting myself as gay, but as I did not tell the truth to my family, I felt angst as if I lived a double life, of lies. Then, I decided to send my wedding invitation to see everyone's reaction. And I was surprised. For my grandmother, the first one I talked to, "what mattered was that I was happy.” My mother thought about the bachelor party,” recalled the assistant with hapiness.
 
He says that, before all this, he had to deal with the fact that everyone would know about his sexual orientation; it was the first gay marriage in his city. “Soon, all of my colleagues were aware of my marriage and that I’m gay. I was afraid to talk to my leader. I thought it would be easier for him to dismiss me than deal with a problem. With the help of the company's social assistance and my leader’s great support, I got strength to face everything with my head held high,” he said.
 
Like Marcelo, the Process Control technician Augusto da Cruz recalls the importance of having the support of specialized professionals. At the age of 24, as a transgender man, he took almost three years, in the transition process, until he managed to come out at the workplace.
 
 
“One of my tips is to seek information and try to do everything with the support of qualified professionals and do not give up. It means to come out and be who you really are. It took me almost three years to be Augusto within the company; I was very afraid of people’s reactions and I thought I would have no support. But as soon as I told my colleagues and the manager, they understood and supported me,” he recalled.
 
The Administrative assistant Ane Brito also found support in the company to help her daughter come out as a woman transgender. Like so many others, Jessica also faced all kinds of prejudice and took refuge outside the country. “I thought, her choice is not easy; she will face many challenges and I will be with her whenever she needs,” Despite the prejudice of society, her colleagues gave her hope to fight for her daughter.
 
 
“They motivated me, gave me hope, supported me, and lifted me up. Thanks to them, we got part of the amount for one of the surgeries. Vale is to be congratulated for opening space and opportunities for this group. But it is not supposed to be a group; there should be no differences. We are all people; we are part of the company,” she said.
 
How to Support Colleagues and Help Them Face this Moment
 
  • Show respect showing that everyone can live in a healthy environment without differences and inequality – Marcelo Mota.
  • Do not see a person as someone from another world but as a professional, who must be respected for their character – Augusto Rafael.
  • Do not make jokes or force a smile. Support and respect are essential for the human being. So many people just want to be part of the whole but cannot – Ane Soares.
  • Change the perception of the community. A big step was taken after homosexuality has been removed from the list of mental disorders but it is still misinterpreted by many groups. We need to work hand in hand, peacefully. The best way is to discuss and accept what the other person has to say – Frederic Nobs.
 
About the Coming Out Day
 
The Coming Out Day was created in 1988 by Robert Eichberg and Jean O'Leary after a march of more than 500,000 people in Washington DC for LGBTQI+ rights. In addition to reinforcing the importance of coming out, the Coming Out Day also seeks to honor the brave people who faced the difficult moment to reveal their gender orientation and/or identity.
 

Source: http://www.vale.com/brasil/EN/aboutvale/news/Pages/At-Coming-Out-Day-Vale-s-employees-tell-their-stories-about-the-difficulties-faced-by-LGBTQIA-people.aspx

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