Colt employees share their Pride of Place

Colt maintains a continuous focus on supporting its LGBTQ+ employees, and in the communities where they live and work.

Pride Matters is Colt's LGBTQ+ and Allies network, aiming to make Colt a more inclusive place for all. Formed in 2019, the team has grown globally and has helped drive the message that Colt is inclusive, no matter how people identify.

As part of the theme Pride of Place, Colt employees shared the places where they feel pride.

Building a culture where everyone can thrive

Pride Matters aims to create a safe space for all LGBTQ+ employees and allies, raise awareness of issues that impact LGBT+ employees, and encourage diversity and inclusion.

Learn more about the places where some of Colt's employees feel pride.

Royal Vauxhall Tavern, London, United Kingdom

"My Pride of Place is the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, also known as the RVT in Vauxhall, South London. A pillar in the LGBTQ+ community, this pub has been supporting the community since the second world war. Princess Diana famously snuck into this pub in the 1980s with Freddie Mercury and much like these icons this pub remains iconic today," said one Colt employee.

Les Mots à la Bouche, Paris, France

"My Place of Pride is a bookstore called Les Mots à la Bouche, which means words to your mouth. I discovered this place because it's located in a neighborhood called Le Marais where most of the LGBTQI+ shops, bars and cafés are located in, and I spent some time there during my teenage years. It was an amazing discovery for me because there I could feel really safe and confident, but also because there I've learned a lot about the LGBTQI+ community, and about myself," commented another Colt employee.

"This is why I believe that culture is really important not only to learn about diversity, but also to learn about the others, and to learn about yourself. It's such an important place for me that every time I go back to Paris to visit some friends or some family, I always go back there," a further employee added.

Pride Metro Station, Noida, India

One Colt employee explained that their Pride of Place was the Pride Metro Station, located in Noida, India because it employs members of the transgender community, from management through to cleaning staff. "It is an LGBT friendly place," commented the Colt employee.

Stonewall Inn, New York City, United States

A further Colt employee reminisced on their time in New York City in the United States, and shared why they would choose the Stonewall Inn as their Pride of Place.

"When I went to New York, I visited Christopher Streets in Lower Manhattan and more importantly the Stonewall Inn. This was of course the birthplace of the Stonewall riots in 1969 and for me, it was quite a satisfying experience and very much an emotional one, and I really would recommend that if you ever get the chance, to walk in the footsteps of our past, to go and do it," they explained.

Brighton, United Kingdom

The city of Brighton, United Kingdom, is the Pride of Place for a further Colt employee.

"The people there are incredibly inclusive, and everywhere you go there's quite a lot, you can see rainbows, you see a lot of bars and restaurants, and a lot of events going on to support the LGBTQ+ community. There's also a lot of great charities down there and a lot of school sponsored events and loads of the community come together, especially every year in August when they do a big Pride event," commented the employee.

United States Supreme Court, Washington D.C., United States

A Colt employee explained that on June 26 2015 the United States Supreme Court issued a landmark decision for Obergefell v. Hodges, that recognized the fundamental right to marriage for same-sex couples.

"On that day I walked over to the Supreme Court from my office after work, and when I reached the courthouse I saw couples embracing friends and celebrating, and everybody sharing in that moment of monumental dignity. That's my Place of Pride," said the employee.