What is Pride in my life – Nichole's story

Metso is celebrating Pride month to show our support and appreciation for our LGBTIQ+ employees and allies. We support LGBTIQ+ inclusion as it's about basic human rights in the workplace. We want all our employees, customers and stakeholders to feel comfortable being themselves at work and as members of society, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. We believe that an inclusive environment where everyone can be their genuine selves.

To honor Pride month, we asked Nichole Pritchard, Director of Metso’s Training Operations, to share her personal story, one that reminds us why visibility, allyship, and Pride matter. Read her story below.

Nicole's story

“For decades, the LGBTQ+ community members have faced societal pressures to conceal their identities, often leading double lives to preserve their employment and social connections. They could only express their true selves within a trusted circle of friends and family. Being their authentic selves was against the law and punishable by fines, jail, beatings, and in too many cases, death. Decades later, most people assume that these archaic beliefs are in the past, but for many living around the world, it is still the present. I came out when I was 18. It never occurred to me that my teenage feelings of loneliness or not belonging had a reason. The day I finally admitted to myself that I was a lesbian was a day of freedom. But a hidden freedom. Would my parents still love me? Would my best friend still consider me such? Would my siblings support me? Would I still be grandma’s baby girl? It was terrifying to think their feelings about me would change for something out of my control.

In the professional realm, the journey towards inclusion and equality is ongoing. These principles are gradually becoming more entrenched in corporate culture. The first time I decided to be me and wear a shirt and tie for an interview, I was so nervous because I worried if being myself would cost me the job. Today I wear it with PRIDE and feel good about how I look and dress. Being part of the LGBTQ+ community, I always worry when I tell someone I’m gay. Will I be accepted? Could this hurt me or my family? Those questions will linger until our world is fully accepting of the LGBTQ+ community and adopting of equality. We are not there yet, but we are slowly gaining ground.

Now with five kids and many experiences under my belt, I navigate pride as a mom. Helping my kids figure out how to handle being questioned or made fun of for having two moms is especially heartbreaking. It feels like we are constantly explaining how our family unit is not much different than others. My kids need to feel loved and supported in their journey and their relationships in life. Lastly, we strive to instill pride in our children - in who they are and the knowledge that their moms will always be in their corner and they know, without a doubt, that they will always be accepted for exactly who they are without reservation.

I have now been 'out' for 27 years. My pride in myself and my place in this world is constantly evolving, but I no longer hide in the closet. My love for people and helping others is who I am regardless of who I marry. My sense of maternal instinct is both an annoyance and a benefit to those around me, regardless of which letter of LGBTQ+ I belong to.

Pride to me is a celebration of the strength, determination, love, and pain that I have been through to get to where I am today. It is knowing I will still experience all those feelings, but this life is worth the journey. The friendships I have, the family I cherish, the wife I adore, and the children I love unconditionally are the pride I get to feel every day. It is my pride that gives me the strength to continue to advocate for myself and others. Be you. Love you. Celebrate you. Accept you. Have pride in you. And until you do, I and millions of others, have pride for you.”