In celebration of Pride Month, we take the opportunity to honor the remarkable contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals who have profoundly influenced the technology industry. Pride Month is not just a time to celebrate diversity and inclusion, but also a moment to reflect on the significant impact that diverse perspectives bring to innovation and progress. In the tech industry, where creativity and out-of-the-box thinking drive advancements, the inclusion of LGBTQ+ voices is particularly vital.
Despite being one of the most innovative and forward-thinking sectors globally, the tech industry has struggled with issues of diversity and inclusion, creating barriers for minority groups to enter and thrive within the field.
A number of diversity initiatives aimed at LGBTQ+ identifying individuals within the tech sector are trying to change this. Groups like Out in Tech, StartOut, and Who Tech have worked to improve office culture for members of the LGBTQ+ community and make resources more readily accessible to the global LGBTQ+ community.
In this blog, we highlight five trailblazing LGBTQ+ innovators. These individuals have not only achieved extraordinary success in their careers but have also championed diversity and inclusion, paving the way for future generations.
By spotlighting their stories and achievements, we aim to underscore the importance of fostering an inclusive workplace where every individual, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, can thrive and contribute their unique talents. In an industry that thrives on new ideas and fresh perspectives, embracing LGBTQ+ diversity is not just a matter of equity but a strategic imperative that drives innovation and excellence. Join us as we celebrate these inspiring leaders and explore the transformative power of diversity in tech.
Tim Cook, CEO of Apple
Tim Cook isn’t only one of the most powerful LGBTQ+ people in tech — he’s arguably one of the most powerful people in tech, period. Cook was named Apple’s CEO in August 2011, and previously served as the company’s chief operating officer. Cook came out publicly as gay in 2014 in a personal essay for Bloomberg Businessweek. He said that while he wanted to continue to keep his private life to himself, he felt an “increasing sense of duty” to come out as his way to help the gay community.
“[Being gay] has been tough and uncomfortable at times, but it has given me the confidence to be myself, to follow my own path, and to rise above adversity and bigotry,” he wrote in his essay. “It’s also given me the skin of a rhinoceros, which comes in handy when you’re the CEO of Apple.”
Megan Smith, Former Chief Technology Officer of the United States
Megan Smith was appointed in 2014 under President Obama as the first-ever female US CTO. Before that, she was a VP at Google, where she helped launch the company’s Solve For X and Women Techmakers initiatives. She’s also previously served as CEO of LGBTQ+ online media company Planet Out. After leaving the White House in 2017, Smith helped the Tech Jobs Tour to bring diverse talent into the tech sector. Smith is also the Founder and CEO of shift7, a collective focused on bringing together figures in tech and public service.
Ana Arriola, Partner and Product Designer at Microsoft
Arriola’s official title at Microsoft is currently a Partner and General Manager for the company’s work in artificial intelligence and research, and for its Bing search engine. Since July 2018, she’s worked on human-centric and ethical design of products.
Previously, Arriola has worked on product design in executive positions at Facebook, Samsung, and Sony. She also worked at the Biotech company Theranos as Chief Design Architect. Arriola went through her full biological transition in the last few years. In a 2016 interview before she transitioned, Arriola said the biggest reason she hadn’t done so yet was “fear for my 26-year career and financial implications for my family’s future.”
“Don’t be told how or what you should be doing in your life,” Arriola said at a conference in 2016. “You define it yourself.”
Lynn Conway, Chip Designer at IBM
Lynn Conway is one of the most renowned engineers of supercomputers and microchip design. Her innovations during the 1970s at the XeroxPalo Alto Research Centre have impacted chip design worldwide, with many of today’s Big Tech firms having foundations in her work. At IBM, she invented a powerful method for issuing multiple out-of-order instructions in supercomputers. This solved the challenge of the fundamental computer architecture problem, making it possible to create the first true superscalar computer.
Conway’s notable role at IBM was kept secret for many years due to her transgender identity. IBM fired Conway when she began transitioning while employed at the firm, forcing her to go “stealth” and start her life again as Lynn. Lynn quickly rose to prominence when the Department of Defense began using her work on secret projects. She would later come out publicly as transgender in the early 2000s and has since become a powerful advocate for the trans community.
“When I made the decision to have a gender correction, everybody told me I was terrible, I was going to end up dead or in an asylum someplace,” Conway. told ABC News in an interview. “But they were wrong. I’ve had a great life, I’m very happy, and I’ve managed to do some productive, important work.”
Chris Hughes, Co-Founder of Facebook
Alongside Mark Zuckerberg, Chris Hughes is one of the four co-founders of Facebook, acting as a key driver in developing many of the site’s popular features, such as it being open to the outside world beyond educational institutions. After leaving Facebook in 2007, Hughes was appointed as one of the 17 people in the UNAIDS High-Level Commission, highlighting support for more effective prevention programs.
In 2019, Hughes criticized Facebook, as well as its co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, for allowing politicians to run campaign ads with blatant mistruths. “By deciding to allow outright lies in political ads to travel on Facebook, is embracing the philosophy behind Trumpism and thereby tipping the scales,” he said in a Tweet. Today, Hughes is the co-chair of a financial stability initiative called the Economic Security Project. He has been married to Sean Eldridge since 2012, the former political director for the same- marriage advocacy group Freedom to Marry.
As we celebrate Pride Month, it is essential to recognize and honor the invaluable contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals in the tech industry. The stories of Tim Cook, Megan Smith, Ana Arriola, Lynn Conway, and Chris Hughes serve as powerful reminders of the transformative impact that diversity and inclusion bring to innovation. By fostering an inclusive workplace where everyone can contribute their unique perspectives, the tech industry can continue to drive progress and create solutions that benefit all. Let us embrace and champion LGBTQ+ diversity, not only during Pride Month but every day, as we strive for a more equitable and innovative future.