The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia was created in 2004 to draw the attention to the violence and discrimination experienced LGBT+ people. The reason for this particular date is that on this day in 1990 the World Health Organisation declassified homosexuality as a mental health condition.
Unfortunately LGBT+ people continue to face discrimination , but at CUK we are passionate about creating an inclusive environment so that everyone is treated with respect. LGBT+ people will have had varying experiences and we are really pleased and grateful to our colleague, Ross Cleland, 3rd Officer on Queen Victoria, for sharing his story with us to mark this day.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?My name’s Ross Cleland (He/Him). I’m 30 years old and from a town called Barry in South Wales (the home of Gavin and Stacey for those who know). I started my career at sea in 2014 after seven years in retail management and haven’t looked back since. I knew I had always wanted to work at sea, I distinctly remember my first P&O Cruises holiday onboard Oriana in 1996 and can recall being in awe of the ship. In 2019, and just a matter of months before the pandemic, I managed to end up where I had always dreamed to be – Carnival UK.
Have you experienced/witnessed Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia?
Unfortunately yes, I’ve always been open about my sexuality whilst being at sea as I feel it’s important to be visible so that others can feel that they can also be themselves. I also participate in a number of maritime initiatives and organisations in order to make life easier for those from the LGBT+ community to work at sea. I distinctly remember joining the maritime industry and finding absolutely nothing in terms of literature or organisations that can support those who are LGBT+ – fast forward a number of years and now the Merchant Navy have representation at Pride in London (the first year there were only eight of us and the last year it was allowed to go ahead there was c.50). There’s now a number of support organisations and representation for many minorities.
Being so open and visible has meant that I’ve experienced an element of homophobia, which in this day and age is unfortunately shameful that people still hold these views. One example was a time when a colleague in front of others was so blatant to say ‘I feel really uncomfortable knowing we have somebody gay on our team, I don’t agree with homosexuals working at sea’. A statement that I challenged but unfortunately I couldn’t change his views, and even more surprisingly nobody else was brave enough to tell him that he was wrong, leaving me feeling upset but determined that more work needs to be done. It made me feel really uncomfortable, it’s really difficult to hear somebody say that about something that’s natural and can’t be changed.
May I add that I’ve never experienced any discrimination whilst working for Carnival UK, which really does make a difference.
Do you feel that you’re able to express yourself freely at work/home?
Completely, I don’t have any issues at all at home or at work these days. I’ve had conversations with close colleagues about this issue and some have told me about how views in their respective countries are different from the views and tolerance of my country, however it’s genuinely really good to see them openly telling me how working on cruise ships has completely liberalised their views. I truly feel that when a diverse set of seafarers work together, we all become much more aware of each other’s cultures and respect each other’s needs better.
Our Culture Essentials are also there to form our outlooks and behaviours onboard and to ensure that we work safely and respectfully with each other. I always feel that there are many avenues I can explore should I run into any issues regarding my sexuality at work.
Any recommended resources / groups / conversation starters to encourage colleagues to Be curious and learn more?
Many believe that LGBT+ equality has been achieved, but it’s my personal belief that we still have some way to go to improve. Examples include meeting guests and crew onboard for the first time, the question usually arises ‘Do you have a girlfriend?’ to which I feel it’s always an awkward interaction to say ‘actually I’m gay’. I think that we still have some work in society to do in order to stop assuming people’s sexualities.
I would always recommend finding somebody to talk to onboard, as having somebody to talk to when away for long periods of time is essential for your mental health. Equally, I’m always available to share my experiences and talk should anybody want to reach out.
There are annual Pride in London events that are becoming better and better attended events in the maritime calendar, and attended by all aspects of the maritime community, so take a look at the Pride in Maritime organisation which is a branch of Maritime UK, they organise events and are the ones that organise Pride. Alternatively you could reach out to, or read material produced by Dr Jo Stanley. She’s a LGBT+ maritime historian, diversity activist and is considered an expert on gendered seafaring.
Nautilus International also runs Diversity and Inclusion regular meetings covering LGBT+ and women in maritime issues. If you’re a member, then look out for these events and meetings.
Show your support for the LGBT+ community
At Carnival UK we’re committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and are welcome, no matter how they identify. This commitment is supported and championed by Spectrum, Carnival UK’s LGBT+ & Friends employee-led network. Here’s how you can join in the conversation:
- Become a member of Spectrum’s facebook group: ‘Spectrum @ Carnival UK’
- Contact Spectrum directly via email: LGBTnetwork@carnivalukgroup.com