Amazon is marking this year’s pride month with a series of interactive events and celebrations for employees organised by our LGBTQ+ affinity group, Glamazon. The events include workshop sessions on subjects ranging from career development to how to be a good ally to the LGBTQ+ community.

Amazon employees can sign up to join Glamazon in celebrating Pride at our UK head offices. Events will be taking place at Amazon’s offices in London and Manchester with festivities set to include live music, raffle prizes, free drinks for those attending and a live DJ.

Customers who are interested in learning more about LGBTQ+ culture can check out our curated lists of the best books and music created by LGBTQ+ talent, put together by the Glamazon teams at Amazon Books and Amazon Music.

Workshops and livestreams at Amazon

Glamazon has organised a series of insightful livestreams for colleagues to celebrate Pride 2022. The livestreams will feature subject experts who will offer guidance, insight and advice to Amazon employees who want to learn more about key topics such as allyship, LGBTQ+ employee experiences, gender identity and trans and non-binary issues.

  • Gender identity
    One of the key emerging topics within the LGBTQ+ community is the importance of understanding gender identity. Many of our livestream events will provide insight on gender identity, and will answer any questions that allies may have on the subject. One such event, our ‘Gender Identity 101’ will feature a panel of experts discussing gender identity, sharing their own experiences and offering support and advice to those who might be questioning their own gender identity or supporting someone they know going through the experience.
  • Career development 
    Another theme in our livestream events is the importance of career development in the LGBTQ+ community. Livestreams on this topic will provide workplace guidance on key issues currently affecting LGBTQ+ employees, colleagues and managers. The speakers will share how LGBTQ+ workers can navigate career development and represent their true authentic selves, shed light on challenges, and offer advice to mentors, managers and leaders to enable a truly inclusive workplace.
  • Inclusive families and allyship
    Allyship has become increasingly important to the development of the LGBTQ+ community, and our livestreams on this theme will explore the importance of creating inclusive environments, both in the office and at home. In our panel discussions and fireside chats, experts will talk about inclusive families, offering information and advice to those who may be supporting LGBTQ+ children or raising a family as a LGBTQ+ couple, as well as putting forward best practice and guidance on how employees can be supportive to LGBTQ+ colleagues both within and outside the workplace.

“As one of the founding members of Trans in the City I’m so excited to be working with the amazing team at Glamazon once again at their event,” said Bobbi Pickard, CEO of Trans in the City and one of the experts who will be leading our livestreams on LGBTQ+ topics.

“The support from Amazon in those early stages, along with the other founders, was fundamental in launching Trans in the City in 2018. Pride month is so important to me and the LGBTIQA+ community because it is the month when people outside the LGBTIQA+ community can come together with us to understand our journey, our pain, our challenges, celebrate that we are still here and take those lessons and memories away to support us throughout the year.”

Amazon Books

In partnership with Glamazon, Amazon Books has produced a curated list of books that accurately represent the experiences of LGBTQ+ people. The booklist features moving novels where LGBTQ+ characters take centre stage.

Keen readers can lose themselves in stories from authors such as Akwaeke Emezi and Booker Prize winning Douglas Stuart. The list features 11 standout novels in which characters face the big questions of life, love, relationships, family, and identity.

Explore Glamazon's list of LGBTQ+ novels.

Amazon Music

Amazon Music has produced a series of vibrant playlists featuring classic LGBTQ+ anthems and the iconic LGBTQ+ artists that have shaped musical culture in the UK and abroad in the last century.

As well as celebrating some of the cultural icons of the LGBTQ+ community, the playlists also champion up-and-coming musicians who are either allies or members of the community themselves.

Take a look at some of playlists on Amazon Music that are supporting and celebrating LGBTQ+ pride.

“We talk a lot about diversity and inclusion at Amazon,” said Ceysa McKechnie, Amazon’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Programs Lead in the UK, and Glamazon UK Vice-Chair.

“It’s because the more we come together, no matter our differences, and the more we work together to achieve common goals, the stronger we are. I’m excited to be a part of such a fantastic community, and to celebrate Pride this year, together.”

The work that Glamazon does to promote and celebrate LGBTQ+ employees is extremely important to Amazon. Last year, Glamazon was named as a Top 10 LGBT Network in the Global Diversity List 2021, a list that celebrates people who work tirelessly to ensure that diversity and inclusion are at the very heart of everything they do.

Our support for the LGBTQ+ community is a core pillar of our commitment to representing and celebrating diversity, equity and inclusion across Amazon.

Explore more LGBTQ+ curated lists such as Glamazon’s recommended reads for LGBTQ+ History Month 2022.