HAPPY PRIDE MONTH! That means its time for a new Queer at work interview! Today, were talking to Luca, Account Manager at Seven.One Media. Originally from Belgium, Luca discovered his love for Munich through a semester abroad. In our interview, he talks about his job, what the Pride Month means to him, and what his colleagues dont know about him yet.
Hi Luca, its great to have you here and that you are part of the Queer at work series! Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Who are you, what do you do at ProSiebenSat.1, and why did you want to participate in our interview series?
Sure! Im Luca, 33 years old, and I come from Belgium. I studied in Brussels and ended up in Munich through an Erasmus semester. During that time, I fell in love with the city and knew I had to come back. Eventually, fate led me to an internship at ProSiebenSat.1, which I really enjoyed. Now, Ive been working as an Account Manager at Seven.One Media for a year and a half, where Im responsible for the advertising sales of our TV and digital platforms. I handle everything beyond standard ad formats and provide our agency with 360-degree concepts. Its the perfect job for me because every day is different due to the diverse tasks, and I have an exciting interface role.
There are several reasons why I wanted to participate in the interview series. Firstly, I wanted to be "loud" and show myself as a person. I used to hide myself for years, and even though Ive been open about my sexuality for a while now, I wanted to seize this opportunity. Secondly, I want to show others that being queer is completely normal. The previous interviews with my colleagues have also encouraged me in this regard.
You mentioned that you have always been quite open about your sexual orientation in your professional career. Would you like to share more about that?
I would actually start with the personal aspect first, as that played a bigger role for me. Even though I knew it myself, it took me some time to come out to my mother and then the rest of my family. I was afraid that I would be perceived differently all of a sudden. During this phase of hiding, I focused a lot on sports and invested in my studies. Being gay was somewhat negatively perceived for me back then, and I felt like I had to excel in other areas to compensate. My family did need some time to get used to it, but now its not an issue anymore, and they get along great with my boyfriend.
In the professional context, on the other hand, my sexual orientation has never played a role. I have never experienced any rejection, and coming out to my team was uncomplicated for me. It was important for me not to say, "Hello, dear team, by the way, Im gay," because heterosexual people dont do that either. I wanted to subtly address it right from the beginning. For example, when others talked about their weekends, I would mention that my boyfriend and I went hiking in the mountains together.
In terms of the professional context - what advice would you give to someone who is undecided about whether to come out at work or not?
Thats not an easy question to answer because everyone handles such a situation differently, and many factors come into play, such as whether the person is already out in their personal life, whether they accept themselves, or how open or conservative managers and colleagues appear. In such cases, it can be helpful to have individual persons or networks like the PROUD network at ProSiebenSat.1, where you can confidentially speak with members. This allows you to gradually approach the situation. The first steps are the hardest, as I know from my own experience, but in my case, the courage paid off.
I believe its normal for coming out to happen in stages, and its important not to put yourself under pressure. Ive realized that you have to accept yourself before expecting that from others.
We are in the midst of Pride Month 2024. What does this month mean to you?
I associate Pride Month with the Pride Parade, also known as the Christopher Street Day, which is perceived worldwide as an entertaining event of the LGBT+ community. Its wonderful! However, its important not to forget that at its core, it is still a demonstration and protest for many participants today. Pride Month is also a great opportunity to be proud. Proud of who you are. Im delighted to see city centers filled with people who take to the streets for exactly that reason. It always reminds me of my own coming out and the journey I went through. Thats why I think its great that ProSiebenSat.1 is participating in the CSD again this Saturday and taking a stand.
In your opinion, has there been a change in the perception of queer individuals in society in recent years? And if so, what?
In my opinion, there has definitely been a change in the perception of queer individuals in society in recent years. More and more, especially young people, identify as queer - thanks in part to the growing acceptance in society. For the future, I hope that the recognition of various sexual orientations continues to grow. It would be great if one day all queer people could come out without having to justify themselves. Personally, I have been lucky in this regard, but I know that unfortunately, other individuals have experienced discrimination.
To promote acceptance, companies can also contribute by further advancing the topic of diversity. In my opinion, social media has also had a positive impact because it allows for faster connections with people in the community. This wasnt the case a few years ago.
Is there something that your colleagues dont know about you?
Yes, there are actually several things that my colleagues dont know about me (laughs). I am a huge fan of the SAT.1 Frühstücksfernsehen! Sometimes it feels like the hosts are part of my family because its always on in the mornings. Additionally, I was a member of the Scouts for 16 years. It was a truly enriching time for me, as it taught me a high level of independence.
