Throughout Pride Month this year, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the evolution of Pride from political protest to a global celebration of LGBT individuals and the history that precedes where we are now. As we move into July, I want to continue the conversations that have been so empowering throughout the month of June.

Working in the technology industry, we find ourselves at the forefront of a time where social movements are fought on multiple fronts across the world, often creating the platforms to usher in these movements. Libraries of online information, social media trends, global communities, interconnected impacts, vocal outcries and more – these were all brought about by us, the technology industry. All these platforms foster rich experiences that many of us become catalyzed by, even changed by.

People globally are bringing change and encouraging inclusion. They’re opening up about their sexuality, gender, relationships and experiences. Not only that, but people are beginning to feel comfortable about it. They are comfortable expressing themselves and making their individuality a conversation instead of hiding it. Cultures are evolving, from workplaces to households, becoming not only tolerant but finally accepting of people’s differences.

This past year alone, many of my closest friends have opened themselves and their hearts by coming out publicly. I felt pride from seeing so many of my friends feel validated for their experiences, whether it was from finding a place amongst the asexual community or realizing they were gray-romantic. Even walking down the street, I see people in full drag, couples openly showing their relationship and affection, same-sex families becoming commonplace and so much more. This feeling of inclusion and normalcy in the community, and especially for LGBT+ members, is heartwarming.

As a UX Designer, I lean towards viewing situations with a lens of empathy. The tech industry, like many others, has been notorious for lacking diversity and inclusion, from the entry level to the C-suite. Something our industry can learn now, as we find ourselves in the midst of a social catalyst, is to keeping promoting individuality, differences and acceptance. Diversity and inclusion are becoming the norm within the workplace and employees have more encouragement to be themselves, making their previously hidden characteristics into actionable subjects, and the same technology platforms our industry has built have become the proponents of the social movements of today. Despite this progress, we still have a long way to go to achieve total equality in the workplace. Now that Pride Month is over, I encourage you all to continue to push for change and to carry this momentum forward to continue fostering what allows us to be vocal, to be accepting and to be open.