This Pride Month, the Drupal Association invited community members to share their voice, story, and perspective through a short questionnaire, an open-hearted call to celebrate who we are and where we belong.
In a time when many in the queer community may not always feel seen or safe, we want to reaffirm that the Drupal Association is a space rooted in inclusion, care, and visibility. Our goal is to spotlight the strength, joy, and diversity within the LGBTQ+ community around the world. Through shared stories like the one below, we hope to reflect the beauty of our global community and remind each other: you belong here.
This is a space where all identities are respected, celebrated, and uplifted, not just in June, but always. As stated in the Open Web Manifesto, the open web thrives on inclusion: everyone in the world, regardless of background, identity, wealth, or status, has a home on the open web.
Today, we’re honored to share reflections from Fei Lauren, an inspiring human, community-elected at-large board member and a Drupal Diversity & Inclusion initiative lead. Their story explores moments of vulnerability, history, solidarity, and global connection, reminding us of the power in simply being seen.
How is Pride celebrated in your city or country?
West Coast Canada is known as one of the best places in the world to live for the LGBTQIA+ community. But it’s a very common practice here to include ‘2S’ before the other letters. 2S stands for Two-Spirit, and it goes first to acknowledge and honor that Indigenous Peoples were here first.
Otherwise, Pride celebrations in many communities are very family-oriented. Face painting is popular, and I’ve also seen things like bouncy castles.
Can you share a moment when inclusion really stood out to you, a personal story or memory?
I am genderqueer, and when I was first exploring neutral pronouns, the idea of putting pronouns in our Slack profiles came up at work. I didn’t realize it at first, but one of the managers I really liked and respected also used they/them pronouns.
We talked about it privately, and then they added their pronouns just before I did. I’ll never forget the anxiety I felt, followed by an incredible sense of relief that I wasn’t alone. I always try to be visible now. Sometimes, it just takes one person to shift that sense of vulnerability and make opening up feel safer.
What’s your favorite Pride-related fact, tradition, or symbol?
I recently learned that until the AIDS epidemic, the commonly used acronym was GLBT. Many medical professionals refused to treat patients who were HIV-positive, but the lesbian community stepped up as nurses and caregivers to provide support.
Changing the order of letters in the acronym, and the many variations used since, is done to honor this act of care and solidarity.
Is there a queer voice, an author, creator, or activist who has inspired or supported you?
I love Ivan Coyote. They have a book of letters from fans and their responses. I don’t cry easily, but some of the letters are so raw it’s impossible not to.
Pride celebrations here can sometimes feel like we’ve lost touch with our history and the ongoing struggle for respect, safety, and equality.
It feels important and powerful to tell those stories and make sure we don’t lose sight of how much work there is still to do in this world.
What’s one thing you love about the queer community you’re part of (in or outside Drupal)?
In Drupal, I love that the community is so global. I have learned a lot about what’s happening around the world. It’s easy to only see your own community and the struggles you and your friends face, the violence and heartbreak right in front of you.
But I love getting to celebrate wins and hold space for people globally. I’ve learned so much from the Drupal community. It has changed my relationship with queer activism and reminded me what I have to be grateful for. It also makes me feel like we really aren’t alone, and that gives me an incredible amount of hope.
Thank you, Fei, for your vulnerability, care, and presence in Drupal community. Your voice reminds us why representation matters and how simply showing up as yourself can make space for others to feel safe, seen, and supported.
To LGBTQ+ and queer members of our community, and to everyone reading, if you feel inspired to share your story this Pride Month, we welcome you with open arms. Every contribution helps build a more inclusive and loving web, one story at a time.
Want to share your own story? Submit your response here.
We also invite you to get involved with the Drupal Diversity & Inclusion (DD&I) initiative. Join the #diversity-inclusion channel on Drupal Slack and say hello! Learn more at drupaldiversity.com/get-involved.
