I used to wish I was dead. Network 10 is one of the main reasons why I’m not.
Those 18 words are some of the hardest that I’ve ever had to write. While deeply personal, they accurately reflect why I’m so passionate about everything that we do at ViacomCBS and why I care so deeply for my colleagues.
As many of you know, I’m out and proud about being both a transgender and lesbian woman. Being able to bring my whole self to ViacomCBS ANZ means that I can focus wholly and solely on my work.
But it wasn’t always that way.
As a kid growing up in rural Australia in the 1990’s and early 2000’s, I struggled heavily not only due to the enduring questions that I had over my core identity, but also the severe levels of bullying and harassment that I was experiencing at school. While I had a superb group of teachers supporting me (my Mum included), the sheer level of abuse that I experienced was something that none of them were trained to handle.
Now being a farm kid, I had both the resources and knowledge to either end it all or do some serious harm to myself back then. While I came extremely close to it on more than a few occasions, simple things such as the love of my horses, music and seeing gentle reminders that things do get better, helped keep me from harm.
From Matt Burke being a champion both on and off the rugby field, through to regularly witnessing strong female role models such as Angela Bishop, Narelda Jacobs, Ranger Stacey Thomson, Carol “Carlotta” Spencer and Sandra Sully amongst others grace the airwaves, some of the most powerful reminders came from on-air talent who’ve helped make 10 what it is today. Meanwhile meeting Tim Bailey and an amazing camera crew on Pyrmont Bridge while with the Northwest Central Schools Touring Band in 1997 during a live-cross, helped me see potential futures for myself at a time when I couldn’t see any.
For a kid who was struggling, such reminders were (and still are) totally wild.
Now having been brought onboard by Hugh Riminton as an investigations producer back in August 2018 and causing political drama right from the start (who would have thought that childcare centres could cause a constitutional crisis?), it’s been an honour and a privilege to discover that the same vibrant on-air culture that helped me survive as a child is just as prevalent across all parts of ViacomCBS ANZ as what it appeared to be over 20 years ago.
From Comms, IT and HR saying that I can place my pronouns in my email signatures so that I’m less likely to experience the mental anguish of being misgendered at work, through to every single part of ViacomCBS ANZ contributing to our First Nations Reconciliation Action Plan, we all have the ability to be allies to one another regardless of our backgrounds. Furthermore, with ViacomCBS support and social groups developing both here in Australia and globally online, we have always got somebody that we can talk to no matter the situation.
Our lives are way too amazing to go half-lived.
If you feel you need support, please reach out to our National Health & Wellbeing Manager, Kathy Fernandez (0447 875 039), Lifeline 131 114 or our new Employee Assistance Program, CCA – Corporate Counselling Associates (using company code: ‘viacomcbs global’).
You can also find Employee Resource Groups (employee-led groups) on the ViacomCBS Inclusion platform here: https://www.viacomcbs.com/inclusion
If you would like to add your pronoun to your email signature (she/her; he/him; they/theirs), please log a request with our IT department. Allies are also welcomed to add their pronouns as a sign of support.
