Boston Scientific: Giving Voice to the LGBTQ+ Community

NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / June 14, 2023 / At Boston Scientific, we encourage everyone to bring their full selves to work, knowing they'll be accepted, heard and valued.

For Pride Month, three employees from around the globe share what having a supportive and inclusive culture means to them, and how their involvement in the Promoting Respect, Inclusion, Diversity and Equality (PRIDE) employee resource group has helped them speak up and out on behalf of their LGBTQ+ colleagues.

Finding courage, strength and acceptance

Growing up in Piauí, Brazil, Cadu was bright, energetic and fascinated by culture, leading him to learn four languages and eventually build a successful career in international relations. But for years, Cadu kept part of himself hidden: "I thought my parents would be angry when they found out I was gay," he says. "In my mind, I tried to compensate by aiming to be the best in school, the best at everything."

Though this drive helped Cadu excel in many aspects of his life, finding the courage and acceptance to embrace his authentic self would prove to be a long road.

When he was 16, Cadu moved to Brasília to study International Relations. For the first time, he met others who identified as gay, which played a major role in his eventual decision to tell his friends and family. "Despite my initial fear of telling my parents, they immediately supported me. In fact, as soon as Brazil started allowing same-sex marriages, my mother became one of the first judges in my state to perform them."

As he began his career, Cadu chose to remain discreet about his sexuality. But soon after he joined the team at Boston Scientific as a Government Affairs specialist, a simple act by his manager changed his mind: "We were entering a building that required us to show our credentials," he says. "A guard at the door asked if we were ‘together, but in a good way.' My manager responded, ‘Is there a bad way for us to be together?' The guard immediately looked ashamed. In that moment, I knew I could count on my manager to be supportive."

A few weeks later, Cadu decided to come out to his manager and colleagues. He also joined the PRIDE ERG. Today he lives with his fiancé Caio, whom he'll marry next year.

"Boston Scientific is the first company where I feel truly comfortable being honest and open about my sexuality and celebrated for who I am," he says. "Through PRIDE and other platforms, I'm able to speak up for others like me and help inspire them to embrace who they are, without fear."