Josh Graff is the Managing Director for LinkedIn EMEA & LATAM and an advocate for equality both within and beyond the workplace. He is a supporter of Just Like Us and Stonewall, and was recently a Commissioner for the HIV Commission. We sat down with Josh to find out more about what inspired him to support LGBTQI activism around the world.
Why are you passionate about LGBTQI rights and equality?
I grew up in the UK in the eighties and nineties, when Section 28 “prohibited the promotion of homosexuality” and stopped councils and schools teaching the “acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship”. As a closeted gay kid, I was acutely aware of the discrimination facing my community and the distinct lack of openly LGBTQI leaders in government, business and media. I knew it wasn’t right at the time and, although a lot has changed, we still have a long way to go.
Were there any stand-out moments that made you care about LGBTQI rights and equality globally?
A few years after joining LinkedIn, I became the Executive Sponsor for our LGBTQI Employee Resource Group (ERG). We have offices in 33 countries and members in every country of the world, so I needed to educate myself about LGBTQI rights in order to effectively lead and guide the ERG. I was naïve in thinking that just because the UK had made progress that other countries would be on a similar journey.
I was shocked to discover that 71 countries still criminalise private, consensual same-sex sexual activity, six continue to implement the death penalty, and 15 criminalise the gender identity of transgender people. That was an awakening for me. It made me realise my own privilege, and the obligation that comes with that to speak out on behalf of others. For the past year I’ve also been a Commissioner on the HIV Commission, and again, that’s educated me on the challenges and stigma facing people living with HIV, both in the UK and around the world.
Why did you decide to support LGBTQI activism around the world through GiveOut?
I always wanted to give to LGBTQI causes outside the UK, notably in countries with repressive policies and practices. However I struggled to find a single charity that enables individuals to give in one place to support this type of worldwide activism. And then I discovered GiveOut and was inspired by their work, by their support of grassroots initiatives, and by the stories of the brave activists defending their communities and campaigning for equality. It’s human nature to want to help others and to support your community, and it’s certainly gratifying that GiveOut makes this possible.
I always love reading GiveOut’s Activist Spotlights, and there are two that have really stood out for me. The first is Glenroy Murray, an advisor to J-FLAG, a social justice organisation advocating for equality in Jamaica where LGBTQI people face homelessness, violence and inequality enshrined in law. The second is Jayna Kothari, co-founder of the Centre for Law & Policy Research, which is dedicated to the defence of constitutional values in India and was pivotal to challenging Section 377 which criminalised same-sex relations. The work that these activists are doing is inspiring, and I’m so proud to support it.
If you have the opportunity, please donate to GiveOut. They do fantastic work, and you will be making a huge difference to the lives of LGBTQI people around the world.