Five Minutes With… Jason Summers

1) Can you tell us how you came to be in your role?

Inclusive Employers was recommended to me by someone at my previous employer who recognised that I had a genuine passion for inclusion and wanted to make inclusion my fulltime role rather than “in addition” to the day job.

I am extremely lucky that I was able to found and co-chair an LGBT+ employee led network at a previous employer. Being able to lead a team focused on improving inclusion and getting to engage with CEOs, managers and external practitioners helped me realise that there were roles where diversity and inclusion were the backbone of the role itself, rather than be limited to voluntary positions.

2) Can you share an ‘inclusion moment’ with us – a time when you have felt included either at work or in your personal life?

“Coming out” at a trans at work, being the first ever trans person within that company and paving the way for other trans people to join and flourish at that company strikes me as pretty relevant to this question, but honestly, it’s the everyday subtle actions that are my ‘inclusion moments’.

• My mum never misgendering me and using my correct name – and making up funny nicknames based on my correct name.
• The birthday cards that are blue, ‘brother’, ‘son’ or superhero themed – and the inescapable Christmas gift of a Nivea or Linx gift set.
• My dad and step-mum occasionally using he/him in conversation around me and about me. I notice every time and it makes my heart warm that they are gradually moving further along in their journey of seeing me as a whole.
• My partner telling me I need to trim my beard as it’s too scratchy.

There are a million little things that make me feel included.