In June, July, and August across the world (21 countries, in fact 😉), Bitrisers everywhere celebrated Pride month — the month-long opportunity to celebrate, respect, and acknowledge the LGBTQIA+ community. What makes Bitrise special is the people behind it — because, well, we’re real people and we care. The people who care about spreading the message of diversity, inclusion, and acceptance at Bitrise include people from all departments, countries, and backgrounds.
This year, Bitrise asked its employees to publicly share what Pride means to them. This was especially important given that Bitrise was founded in Hungary — a country where LGBTQIA+ rights are still being limited. In Hungary today, same-sex couples cannot get married or adopt children. Just last year, the Hungarian government banned gay or trans-related content in public schools and advertisements for those under 18.
At Bitrise, we reject all laws and policies that restrict us in expressing who we are — the laws that limit us in our thinking and sexual orientation. Pride month represents the time for us to stop and reflect as an inclusive community on what it means to be truly accepting and accepted. We take this opportunity to consider the peaceful, positive effect that acceptance can have on the world and on our lives.
Here’s what our employees from around the world had to say about what Pride means to them:
🌈 “Pride is all about having fun and being yourself,” says Madré Roothman, a Product Marketing Manager at Bitrise.
💜 “Pride to me is being able to be your truly authentic self without the fear of society or people judging you or causing you harm — being able to walk out in the world fully liberated and just living your life,” says Leilah Squires, a Developer Advocate at Bitrise.
🏳️🌈 “Pride is so much more than just celebrating an underrepresented community, it's about being proud of who you are and who other people are,” says Amy Tom, Content Writer at Bitrise.
🌍 “Pride to me is about viewing the world for my children and seeing a future where I can honestly say to them that they can be proud of who they are as their authentic selves — and always to carry that with them in all its glory, without having to hide any elements of themselves,” says Kate Piercy, a Talent Acquisition Manager at Bitrise.
🥳 “Pride is about being who you are, accepting who you are, loving who you are, and being very proud of who you are,” says Michelle Supple, a People Program Manager at Bitrise.
We also wrote a series on the blog about how mobile app developers can use their powers for good by incorporating messages of Pride into apps, by acknowledging the non-binary community in apps, and by being an active ally.
And while we know that there is much more to be done, we want to take the opportunity to acknowledge and stand with the LGBTQIA+ community. We will continue to stand against laws that restrict LGBTQIA+ rights and freedom.
“There is no pride for some of us without liberation for all of us” – Marsha "Pay It No Mind" Johnson
PS — if you’re interested in joining the Bitrise team, check out our careers page. We employ equal opportunity practices to ensure our hiring is unbiased and fair. We promote diverse thinking throughout our organization by encouraging questions, providing anonymous Q&A opportunities with the leadership team, and remaining transparent with our people.
✨For more resources and information about how to support LGBTQIA+ rights and activism, see here:
- Europe & UK — Outvertising: https://www.outvertising.org/employer-guidance
- Americas — The Trevor Project: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/
- Asia Pacific — Asian Pride Project: http://asianprideproject.org/
