It is deeply ingrained in the minds of women and those who present as female to shrink or downplay themselves in order to conform to spaces that society deems appropriate for them. Every now and then, we all need a fearless woman to shake us awake and remind us that we don’t have to dim our presence to fit in anywhere. And if we do, well, that space was never meant for us anyway. You have the power to carve out your own spaces for growth, just like you can seek out your own support system to back you up along the way.
As someone who has spent most of their career in manufacturing, I have experienced more than my fair share of unhealthy male dominated work environments. During the Industrial Revolution, only 20% of women surveyed in the U.S. (specifically Massachusetts) were “gainful workers”, meaning they had jobs outside the home. This was only around 150 years ago, during a time when women were not allowed to vote, have a bank account, or basically exist outside of being a homemaker – without a husband. The key to getting basic rights outside of the home was to marry, which was what many women did because… what other choice did you have?
Working in manufacturing facilities opened the door for many women to earn their own income and have a career of their own. This marked a turning point for women, allowing them to take up space in male-dominated environments and providing the support needed to continue creating new opportunities for women and those who present as female worldwide.
Despite these efforts, when working within the manufacturing industry, you will still often some outdated viewpoints or stereotypes that could make it difficult for women and those who present as female to excel in their roles. That is one of many reasons that I find Lindsey Key an inspiring leader inside and outside her field. With a decade of work within the chemical manufacturing industry, Lindsey has made her mark through many roles; starting as a Graphic Designer and making her way to being the Manager of Creative Design and Multimedia.
But she didn’t stop there, Lindsey continues to drive change within her company and locally through her efforts to support the LGBTQIA+ community. She holds a volunteer position as a board member within Lancaster Pride, starting as the Director of Marketing and recently moving into the Vice President role. I had the pleasure of volunteering at the festival alongside Lindsey and later connecting with her to learn more about her experiences. When sharing her story with me, I could feel her passion for supporting others who have gone through the similar experience of coming out later in life (me too!) and the importance of finding or creating a space that is safe and accepting for everyone.
It was heartwarming to hear Lindsey’s story of her success in her career and being able to continue her grown with her company after coming out. Unfortunately, not everyone has the same experience. But Lindsey is doing everything she can to promote the same acceptance she received through her work with colleague resource groups (CRG) at her company.
Lindsey is working hard to further highlight and celebrate diversity to others within the company. She is a founder and co-leader of the PRIDE CRG and is part of the Culture and Engagement Taskforce. She shares her story throughout the organization and was one of the first in the company to come out as trans, which lead to a lot of nerves and emotions leading up to her officially coming out to the company. This was a semi-recent experience for Lindsey, but she has fully embraced becoming a part of the community and is working hard to improve resources and experiences for others.
“First, I came out to my close work friends, then my team, and finally the company at large. I am the Manager of Creative Design and Multimedia at Quaker Houghton – a very global role – so that made me nervous. But having the acceptance of my friends, team, and colleagues gave me the confidence to be my whole self at work. As I was one of the first to come out publicly as trans at the company, there were a lot of procedures to develop, but we worked through that and hopefully I’ve blazed a trail for anyone who comes out at Quaker Houghton in the future.”
And she certainly blazed a trail – not just for individuals within the LGBTQIA+ community, but for women and those who present as female everywhere who aspire to challenge conventional expectations in their work or career choices. Having confidence is important for claiming your rightful space in society, at work, and within your community. Or, if necessary, carving out those spaces when they cannot be found.
Femme Forward - Lancaster, PA 
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