Clark Ly landed a job at Microsoft almost eight years ago simply by applying online. As a woman who identified as a lesbian at the time, he came out gradually and enjoyed the feeling of “just being able to be me” at work.
But Ly’s bigger revelation was yet to come. In January, he had his manager let all of his colleagues know via email that he was transitioning to become male.
“People came to my office and gave me hugs. I got a number of high-fives,” recalls Ly, who helps publishers get their games on Xbox as release manager for the Global Games Publishing Group. “It was not the response I was expecting – not to that level. It was fantastic.”
Such support for individuality inspired Microsoft’s theme for Pride: “This is me. Do great things.” On Sunday, Ly and hundreds of colleagues will march in Seattle’s Pride Parade. It’s part of Microsoft’s global effort to celebrate diversity and inclusion at a company that’s consistently ranked as a top place to work for LGBT equality.
Microsoft employees will also join Pride marches this weekend in Chicago, New York City, Houston, San Francisco, Mexico City, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Denmark and Finland, as well as other European cities later this summer. Others joined similar celebrations earlier this month in Boston, Washington D.C. and Rome, where an enthusiastic group waved Microsoft banners and a rainbow flag to cheers and praise.
The worldwide festivities are a way “to join hands together in an expression of pride, inclusiveness, acceptance and diversity,” says Dan Bross, executive co-sponsor of GLEAM, Microsoft’s LGBT Employee Resource Group. “We are marching to celebrate our victories, and as a reminder of the work to be done.”
Read more about Microsoft’s Pride celebrations and what they mean to the people who work here and many others on the Microsoft JobsBlog.
Tracy Ith
Microsoft News Center Staff