Loud & Proud: What Pride means to Arlo NoMad’s Megan Grauer, Director of Outlets
At Arlo, we live the values of Pride year-round. Acceptance, love, and lifting up everyone in our community is at the heart of how we work and welcome our guests. This June, we’re honored to celebrate Pride and introduce you to a beloved team member in the LGBTQ+ community, Arlo NoMad’s Megan Grauer.
Take it away, Megan!
I was the last person in my family to know that I was gay [laughs]. Everyone knew before I did. Which is funny because I have so much pride in who I am now. I feel like an authentic version of myself. I’m lucky because not everyone has this story, but my family was super supportive—and it was during a time when it wasn’t acceptable to be gay. It was kind of like a scarlet letter, and people would gossip and maybe change their opinion about you if they knew. Being authentically yourself is risky because your guard is down, and you open yourself up to criticism. It’s vulnerable. It was a slow process but once you take the first step, you just keep going.
What’s important about Pride Month is that not everyone has what I have. I am lucky to live in the city that I live in; to have the family and friends and the support in the community that I have. There are so many people who do not have this kind of support. There are places where being gay is still shunned and worse, get physically assaulted. We see anti-gay legislation coming out in different states; it’s scary. Especially for the trans community. I think a major focus should be on our trans community right now—on how we can empower and provide safety for those who are most vulnerable in our community. Being able to celebrate Pride is a privilege, because you can only celebrate when you’re safe—and not everyone is in a safe environment. No one should have to feel like they have to hide who they are. Ultimately, the goal of Pride is equal rights for all, regardless of who you love or how you identify yourself. I would like to see all the anti-trans and anti-gay legislation obliterated.
My favorite thing to do during Pride is the Dyke March. It’s something that my friends and I do every year. Even though New York City is so welcoming, and we have this huge Pride celebration, the safe spaces that exist, day to day, are few and far between. And a lot of them don’t really cater to women. So being at the Dyke March for the first time and being surrounded by tons of women was transformative. I’d never seen so many women in one place in my entire life. And I’m actively seeking! [laughs] But, seriously, the March is important to me because it does two things: It’s this big community of people, but it’s also a protest about the atrocities that people in our communities still face.
We hope to see you at an Arlo Hotel as we honor Pride Month with special events and promotions this June. Arlo is a proud sponsor of Pride NYC, and a supporter of The Trevor Project, whose mission is to end suicide among LGBTQ+ young people.
