Empowered parenthood: advocating for inclusivity and support

Tyrone Fletcher, Communications Manager at Lloyds Banking Group, spoke to myGwork about the incredible journey of becoming a parent. From the experience of fostering to the support he has experienced in the workplace, Tyrone shared his tips for people from the LGBTQ+ community who are considering becoming parents.

Hi Tyrone! To start us off, please tell us a bit about yourself and your role in your organization.  

I am the Communications Manager for our Customer Inclusion arm of the organisation. I am responsible for all communications both internally and externally, ensuring we’re promoting all the great things we do to support customer needs at a time when they need us most, which in turn helps us to become the best bank for customers. 

Can you tell us about your parenting journey so far? 

I’m not sure I ever thought I would be a parent, particularly in my younger years. I figured having the typical family lifestyle was for straight people…. As I’ve matured, I’ve realised I can provide a nurturing home for a little person to grow up with the love, care and attention they need to thrive regardless of my sexual orientation. Around 3 years ago my partner and I embarked on a fostering journey, bringing a young boy into our family home who had experienced a fairly traumatic life up until coming into our care. We’re three years in and would never look back – seeing such positive progress is astounding and fills me with pride every day.

Have you had any difficulties in the workplace as a parent, and how do you think these could have been prevented?  

The support that has been made available to me as a new parent has been fantastic. Lloyds Banking Group are true advocates of their colleagues and are incredibly inclusive as an employer. My line manager checked in more regularly than usual, making sure workloads weren’t excessive while we settled into a new life as parents and similarly the advice from parents in my team has been amazing, it's great to know you have another support network at work with a wealth of experience to see you through those tricky moments. We also have a LGBTQ+ colleague network that includes a family strand which I lead. This is an invaluable resource for colleagues who are looking for support and guidance as parents of LGBTQ+ people or LGBTQ+ people looking to start their own family. 

How do you navigate discussions about gender and sexuality with your children, and what values or principles do you prioritize in these conversations? 

We’re a very open-minded household and will never shy away from topics we feel are important to understand, especially as our young one starts to grow older and understands more about sexuality. I’d like to think in our house you’re free to ask questions and promote open communication, which is essential to begin to understand how our very complicated world works. We’ve openly discussed our sexuality as a couple and how amazing it is for anyone to love whoever they choose to love.

Can you share any tips or advice for other LGBTQ+ individuals considering or currently on their journey to parenthood? 

Honestly – it’s amazing! I was truly on the fence about becoming a parent/carer and worried about being responsible for a small human in the months running up to them coming to live with us. My other half was desperate for us to have children and he wore me down over the years! 

Strangely, everything slotted right into place straight away and we’ve never looked back. My advice would be for anyone thinking about it would be to do your own research and speak to people who have already been through the process you’re interested in, whether that be adoption, surrogacy, fostering etc.