June’s Select Employee (2021)

In celebration of Pride Month, we’re wrapping up June with one of our own – Claims Consultant, Brenden Bryant. He has chosen to share part of his coming out story & the burden of being in the closet.

One of our own was kind and brave enough to share his Pride experience. Thank you to Brenden Bryant for telling us  your story and giving  us a glimpse into what you have been through.

This Pride Month, I celebrate the progress the LGBTQ community has made toward equality during my lifetime. It is amazing to see how far we have come in just the last 10 years.

My coming out story begins in college, I attended the University of Colorado at Boulder for undergrad and was a cadet in Air Force ROTC. At the time, "Don't ask, don't tell" was in full effect. Leadership reminded us that if anyone came out he or she would immediately be discharged. So, I stayed in the closet, afraid to be myself, and did my best to play straight. I commissioned and received a deferment to attend law school. In my second year of law school, I finally decided to come out and was quickly discharged from service. It was painful to be told I was not worthy of serving my country because of who I am, but I knew coming out was the right thing to do. Thankfully the discriminatory policy of "Don't ask, don't tell" was repealed in 2010 and members of the military can now serve openly.

Five years later, marriage equality became the law of the land with the Supreme Court's decision in Obergefell. When my husband and I first met, marriage was a hope of ours, but not a possibility. Because of Obergefell, this year we celebrate five years of marriage.

For most of my professional career, I have been fortunate enough to work for companies like Berkley Select that value diversity and do not tolerate discrimination. But, until last year, it was legal in many states to fire a person because they are gay. In 2020, the Supreme Court held in Bostock v. Clayton Country that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects employees against discrimination because they are gay or transgender. I'm happy to know that decisions like Bostock will ensure future generations of LGBTQ youth will be protected in the workplace.

The LGBTQ community has much to be grateful for in 2021, but there is still much to be done - starting with the Equality Act!