Finastra’s Chuck Farmer on embracing differences

Hi Chuck, thanks for chatting with us - tell us a bit more about yourself.

I am Chuck Farmer, an ESG Governance Specialist at Finastra. What that means is that I work on various sustainability reporting initiatives, as well as assist with our social impact programs at Finastra. I also lead our ESG Site Ambassadors for the Americas, providing support to those working to do good at our sites. I consider myself an ally to the LGBTQ community, in that I support actions that support the community. 

Have you ever acted as an ally to someone from a different background than your own? If so, can you share an example of how you supported them and recognized the importance of intersectionality?

Finastra has been mentoring LBGTQ refugees who are new to Canada. As you can imagine, being an LGBTQ refugee can be very difficult. They may not be accepted in their home community, so there is a double burden of being isolated while adjusting to a new (and colder) country. While I have never been a refugee and I am not a member of the LBGTQ community, I am someone who knows how to work in Canada. Like any other initiative, if I am at a loss for how to help, I have a community of folks who can assist. 

What steps have you taken to educate yourself about different intersectional identities and the unique challenges they face?

As an ally, the adage about having two ears and one mouth is important to remember. I am meant to listen twice as much as I am to speak. In this case, probably more. By listening and asking questions, we can learn. 

Share an instance where you confronted your own biases or prejudices when it comes to intersectionality, and how you worked to overcome them.

A few decades ago, my biases told me that people fit into individual boxes. If you were gay, you could not be religious. If you were disabled, you needed assistance. My thought process has thankfully changed because of simply listening to others. Everyone can have different thoughts and check off as many boxes as possible. I look for opportunities to see this now and see how those experiences impact the person. 

For example, a new neighbor is a member of the LGBTQ community, but he happens to be a rather (politically) conservative person. We had a good discussion about how this thought can make him feel separate from what might be the mainstream LGBTQ community. As well, it makes him a bit separate from the conservative community who may not be wholly accepting of LGBTQ community. If one word comes to mind in these situations, it’s bravery. 

How would you define being an ally and why do you believe it is crucial in promoting intersectionality?

Being an ally in an intersectionality context means you not only accept, but actively support individuals who are from marginalized groups as a whole. We all have areas of our life where we are not entirely accepting of people. It may be from certain religious, backgrounds, etc. Being an ally means that you embrace all these aspects. I did not say accept, which to me means that you don’t necessary like something but will take it. I accept that I will never be a professional baseball player. We embrace those who are different. 

An ally is in a unique place. They can see the systems of discrimination in place. An ally is in a place to correct those systems. This can be on a macro level, or on a person-to-person basis. As a straight white man, sometimes, I hear racism, homophobia, and other pieces of casual bias. It is up to the allies to be the voice in the room that says that this is not acceptable. 

How do you ensure that you actively listen to and amplify the voices and experiences of people from underrepresented intersectional groups?

Allyship is not passive, but it is also not leadership. It is in the middle. When we see intersectional groups who are underrepresented, it is our position to work to ensure their voices are heard. It is not leadership in that we know what is best for the group. Our position is to row the boat, and let the groups pilot the course.