The past several years have been a tumultuous time for the LGBTQ+ community. It has often felt like we’re constantly fighting uphill only to be pushed back down whenever we’ve made significant progress. Yet as an out, queer, trans woman who has been deeply immersed in the fight for over a decade now, I know we’re making progress. We continue to score important victories.
And a big part of these successes are the allies who have helped us achieve them—like Eastern Bank. If LGBTQ+ rights are under attack, you can find Eastern Bank rallying behind our cause in support of their customers, colleagues, and communities.
Eastern Bank’s tireless support was recognized at the 2019 Shorty Awards when they were honored as a finalist in the LGBTQ Community Engagement category, where they received the Audience Honor for the most public votes within that category. This recognition further demonstrates the impact their work has had on the movement and individuals everywhere.
Join Us For Good and The Shorty Awards
The Shorty Awards is an annual award show that recognizes impressive work done through social media. This year, Eastern Bank was nominated for their Join Us For Good campaign, which focuses on social justice issues and particularly on spreading awareness and support for the LGBTQ+ community.
As a longtime ally, Eastern Bank has teamed up with local advocacy organizations, businesses, and activists like myself to promote action on key issues. And when transgender rights were being questioned on the Massachusetts ballot in the 2018 midterms, Eastern Bank knew the election results could have a profound impact on the LGBTQ+ community.
I was deeply humbled when Eastern Bank invited me to be a part of the “Good Votes” digital campaign, which was meant to target awareness of question three on the ballot. They felt that using my image alongside the quote “‘This is a person. Not a political argument.’ offered a unique insight into just how important the question was in the midterm election.”
It takes a community of people each doing their part to make sustainable forward progress and when I asked Eastern Bank why they felt the need to be so involved, they said, “It was our duty to step up, speak out, and protect transgender people from discrimination in public places,” adding, “Eastern Bank has dedicated over 200 years to doing what’s right and smart for our customers, colleagues, and communities, and supporting LGBTQ+ rights is one of many social justice causes we are passionate about and wholeheartedly believe in.”
What Progress Looks Like
The most important thing about “Join Us For Good” is the results. With Massachusetts voting 67% in favor of question three, we knew the campaign was a success. The last-ditch attempt by opponents of the LGBTQ community to repeal our hard-won transgender rights in Massachusetts was defeated.
With such a solid success, what’s next for Eastern Bank? “We won’t waiver from our commitment to the LGBTQ+ community and from standing up for what we deem is right and smart,” they said. “The public’s response to this campaign serves as affirmation that we need to and will continue to be an ally for LGBTQ+ individuals.”
Join Us For Good and celebrate Eastern Bank’s recognition at the Shorty Awards for their work in support of the LGBTQ+ Community!