Canoe celebrates LGBTQ Pride Month: A month of authenticity and love

At Canoe, we are deeply committed to cultivating an environment of safety, support, and diversity for everyone. This LGBTQ Pride Month, we are proud to stand in solidarity with our employees and the wider LGBTQ community.

We know that many queer individuals face challenges feeling secure in various spaces, from social media to their workplaces and even within their own neighborhoods. That’s why we are constantly working to ensure Canoe is a safe space, a place where our employees and their communities can always feel safe and genuinely belong.

Recent statistics show:

• LGBTQ identification has increased by about 165%, or 2.6x since 2012 (GLAAD)
• 63% of non-LGBTQ adults say they personally know someone who is gay or lesbian (GLAAD)
• 91% of CEI-rated businesses offer at least one transgender-inclusive plan option with current market standard coverage (HRC)
• Around 1 in 10 people around the world–and nearly 1 in 5 members of Gen-Z–are LGBTQ (Coqual)
• 84% of LGBTQ workers are out to at least one person in their current job, compared to 54% in 2018’s report A Workplace Divided (HRC)

Our NYC headquarters are just about a mile away from The Stonewall Inn, the site of the Gay Liberation Movement’s tipping point—the 1969 Stonewall Uprising. Commemorated each June, initially as an annual “Gay Pride Day” and now as an entire LGBTQ Pride Month, celebrations and memorials are hosted across the United States to recognize this moment in history and its continuing impact.

55 years later, we asked some of our employees to explain what Pride means to them and how they plan to celebrate this year:

What does Pride mean to you?

For Tiffany Taylor, our Head of People, Pride has taken on an even deeper significance since her son, Jack, came out. She shared, “Pride Month has always meant something deeply personal to me—long before I knew my son Jack was gay. I’ve always believed that love is love, that every person deserves to be seen, valued, and safe exactly as they are.” Now, as the mother of a gay son, she sees Pride as “a celebration of authenticity. A declaration of joy. A call for equality.”

She also expressed concern about the current political climate, noting that it “feels increasingly hostile toward the LGBTQ+ community. Rights are being debated that should never be up for discussion.” She adds, “This month, and every month, I stand with Jack. I stand with all LGBTQ+ people. I stand for a world that leads with kindness, not fear… Because Pride isn’t just a party or a rainbow—it’s a promise. A promise to keep fighting for dignity, visibility, safety, and love. Always.”

Kevin Tobiassen, Director of Product Management, emphasized the importance of self-celebration and historical recognition. He shared,” Pride is about unabashedly celebrating yourself for who you are at your core.” He underscored the historical context, explaining that “for too long, certain people have been forced to hide and repress who they really are.” Therefore, Pride is not just about the present; it’s about honoring the past and looking to the future. “Pride isn’t just about celebrating ourselves now, but celebrating for the millions in the past who didn’t get to be themselves and for the future generations, hopefully having an even more accepting society.”

“To me, Pride is about replacing fear of retaliation with courage, visibility, and collective power,” said Joe Scannelli, Controller. This highlights the transformative power of Pride, shifting individuals from a palace of apprehension to one of empowerment and unity. 

These powerful responses remind us that Pride is multifaceted. It’s a personal journey, a collective stand, a joyful celebration, and a persistent fight for a more inclusive and accepting world for everyone. It’s about living authentically, finding strength in community, and ensuring that love always wins.

Here at Canoe, our leaders are leading by example, ensuring an inclusive environment for everyone to feel safe and welcome.