A Cheeky Update

Now I realise that it's been a while since I last posted a blog entry and I do apologise to the regular readers (of which there are, according to "Blog Stats": 2,845 ) this is because I have been incredibly busy. Double busy.

Now if anyone follows my Twitter (@iTomHanson) you will see that I have regularly been tweeting about meetings/trips to London and also investment banking. So many people have been asking me about my goings on over the last 2 months and I'll be honest I forget what I have said and haven't...so I thought I'd round up what's gone on since last time I blogged.

In September I was successful in my application to be selected (alongside 35 other cool people that I now consider my Stonewall Family or #StonewallFam) to attend the Stonewall Talent Programme. I had an amazing 3 days in London, and only 2 of those I had a hangover from the alarmingly cheap drinks at G-A-Y and Heaven. After the course I then went to Oxford a few days, then Gloucestershire and then finally coming home after which was a well travelled week.

In October we were all invited back down to London to attend the Stonewall Talent Programme Reunion and also launch of the Stonewall Starting Out Guide. That day was one of the best in the whole of October for me. When I attended the Talent Programme in September everyone was slightly wary of what to say and how to be among everyone else, however at the reunion it was completely different. It was like walking back into a room of old friends I'd known for years. I don't think I stopped smiling all day. The event was hosted at the London offices of Bank of America Merrill Lynch in Canary Wharf. Oh my goodness. What an amazing place it is, the sheer size and the atmosphere when you're there. It's electric.

We walked into the atrium of BAML, immediately it hits you how powerful this building is. The marble, the leather, the sheer size of everything. The money. Walking into the conference room and seeing the other Talent guys and people from Stonewall immediately put the biggest smile on my face. It was amazing to see everyone again and hear about what had gone on since we saw each other a month before. The achievements, the successes and also hearing about what they had done day to day in such a short space of time, was incredible. That evening it was the launch of the Stonewall Starting Out Guide, a national directory book of LGBT friendly companies. I count myself incredibly lucky that I was able to hear from a number of inspiring speakers and their stories of gay employment. This time the wine was bang on marvellous!

After the launch it was more drinking wine and chatting to everyone invited. I love networking and talking to people at these formal occasions and, of course, I'd come prepared! Everyone I gave my card to was staggered I was that prepared. During the evening I spoke to a man from a major Investment Bank in Canary Wharf, it turned out we are both runners which gave us both a laugh and conversation. I gave him my card and he gave me his. It turns out that might have been the best exchange of cards ever.

From emailing him over the last month, having met for a coffee and contacting other individuals I've met and then meeting them, I have been selected 4 times for all expenses paid courses in London, each time run by different banks and career organisations. I was invited back down to London last week and then later this month again. There's an open invite for a week long course in Paris in January aswell that I'd love to go to. It's been a few years since I was last in Paris, I can remember my favourite coffee shop just off the Champs-Elysees and if I'm there in a few months I'll be going back! The latest invitation is of a game of golf at a club in Surrey in the new year, the only problem is I haven't played in 2 years. I could lose gracefully I suppose.  The phrase "mind blowing" seems relevant.

Two weeks ago I yet again travelled South, this time for a course hosted at the stunning offices of J.P.Morgan. Touring the city in the morning was one of the best experiences I've ever had! I got to cycle a rickshaw down Regent Street, Penny Board down Hyde Park and then Cycled on a boris bike all the way down Oxford St to Soho among other adventures. All the time in a suit, it was only when I stopped I remembered how much it cost and then suddenly felt sick from the thought. I bought a particularly fantastic pocket square from Saville Row on my travels aswell.

I posted a picture on my Twitter of the JPM logo and a caption, my phone didn't stop buzzing as people were asking me why I was there and how impressive it looked, to those of you who I Snapchatted the wine rooms and the seemingly endless panoramic photos from the rooftop balconies, I do apologise.
I was sent the link for the event on Monday, I applied that night, received my confirmation Tuesday morning, went down to London on the Wednesday. My application form must have been pretty damn good.
During the course we heard from a number of employees at the banks, Stonewall Deputy Chief Exec: Ruth Hunt who is always a treat to listen to, a discussion panel hosted by my contact at CS and then afterwards a cocktail and wine party. The wine was yet again amazing with some very snazzy canapes, I have a feeling they might have been foie gras. I also got to meet some incredible people in the employees from the banks, but also a lot of great friends that I'm definitely going to keep in contact with for a long time.

I've come away from London this time with yet more contacts, a slight hangover the next day, endless freebies and corporate gifts and offers of hospitality when I'm next in London (one of which involves a tour of Credit Suisse and a meal at a very famous London hotel), but I've also come away with a few offers of both graduate placement jobs and also opportunities for a placement year in September 2014.
It's safe to say that from the Stonewall Talent Programme I have gained an incredible amount and I am forever grateful to those who have supported me and given the opportunities that have lead me to where I am now. Oh yeah I've also ran a 1hr 37mins Half Marathon within the month.

A pretty productive month!

Gay Geek Is New Geek Chic

Next year shall mark the 60th anniversary of Alan Mathison Turing's death. Now you may be wondering why I'm informing you of such a fact? Well let me explain.

Alan Turing was born 23rd June 1912 in London. He went to Cambridge University from 1931 until 1934 and excelled reading Mathematics. During the Second World War he worked tirelessly at Bletchley Park with numerous others to help crack the German and enemy ciphers. It is estimated that the work that Turing and his team conducted shortened the war by 2 years, therefore saving many lives.

Now this may seem to be another story of a war hero that has no real impact on today's affairs and society, however I think that it has never been more important. Also there are a few facts that to me make this man a little more interesting,

• His work at Bletchley Park from 1939 until the estate closed down as MI5's country HQ, was able to crack countless German and enemy ciphers leading to advanced knowledge of enemy plans and attacks. A truly incredible feat with what transpires to be a truly awful repayment.
• Alan Turing was also an accomplished marathon runner, being able to post a time in 2 hours and 46 minutes, and also rower having rowed for Cambridge University whilst studying at Kings College.
• He was the founding father of Computer Science and was able to design the concepts that mathematicians and computer workers still use to this day.
• Turing was homosexual.

As a Computer Science student it is constantly reminded to myself and others that Turing is the father of our subject and has possibly done more to the cause than any other individual. But it was only when I went to Bletchley Park a few days ago during my holiday to London, that I really noticed the difference he made to the War effort, but also how he had made such an amazing contribution, yet in 1952 he was convicted of being homosexual. The choice of convictions? Prison or Oestrogen injections. 

At Bletchley Park there is a wooden cabinet with glass doors that holds a statement from Gordon Brown from when he was Prime Minister in 2009 that apologises on behalf of the British Government for the way that Turing was treated during this time period. I remember reading this letter and feeling moved, disgusted and also deeply saddened in that it is considered that the criminal conviction and 'treatment' that Turing received, led to his suicide. If I were to place myself in his shoes, I would question whether there is any true justice in the world, having been a significant leader of intelligence and military matters and then for the country he loved and had worked for so tirelessly and endlessly, to revoke his security clearance, to class him as a criminal for never having done a single crime other than being himself and giving him one of two miserable and hell like options with either as bad as the other. What makes this even more harrowing is when you realise this was only 60 years ago.

I believe that Turing's story can be an example of how you what ever walk of life you pursue, there are always going to be high moments, but also low moments where you will need to stand strong and usually this is made easier and more bearable if there are others that you can ask advice from.

During my London holiday I came across one evening, a copy of The London Evening Standard. Those who do not know of this, it is a free newspaper that is given out in London in Tube stations or on street corners. I picked up a copy for the sole reason of the Sudokus, a slight geek addiction of mine there.

In and amongst the usual depressing tyranny of celebrity news and miscellaneous facts, there was one headline that interested me:

"Why the ‘gay geek’ is the most sought-after worker in London" 

Now I will admit that when I first saw the headline I did wonder as to the content of article and what angle they might throw on both gays and geeks. Release the floodgates for the stereotypes. There I was ready to defend myself as both gay and aspiring geek. But no actually not, if anything far from it.

The article talks about how because there is a greater chance that gays (men and women) are more career driven due to there being a lower chance that they are in a civil partnership, a lower chance they have children and also that they are more inspired maybe to complete a better and perform to a higher standard. 

With some trepidation going into reading the article, I finished with a great sense of happiness in that it hadn't portrayed gays as being unreliable or unable to hold down a job for a great length of time, but had shown them a light that is sometimes very rarely seen in the media. I think it's a great thing in that today's society we are able to be so open with such matters as our sexuality and that employers are taking the bold new moves to make employees feel respected and appreciated in the workplace.

Also because I'm both gay and a part time aspiring geek, it means I have something to a) blog about, b)talk about with lecturers in September, and c) it leads nicely to this...

This also comes with exciting news! When I was hospital awaiting an MRI scan one morning, I found myself incredibly bored in my hospital room. Checked Facebook, nothing going on. Twitter was much the same. However I checked my Uni emails and came across Stonewall's Talent Programme. This is a course that is run 5-8th September in London and is for LGB young adults to help them become role models in either workplaces or generally just areas where they might be able to help or inspire others.

Now at the time I inform you that I was highly drugged up on medication and Costa Express Machine coffee, so I was not completely myself...maybe slightly more manic, if such a thing is possible. However out of the many hundreds that applied, I was successful! I go to London in 2 weeks time and I can honestly say I cannot wait. Along with 35 others I am going to learn about how being openly gay in the workplace can help to bond a team better due to no feelings of embarrassment, or hiding away from questions due to not being in the majority. I really hope that I can take away a lot from the course and use it to help network with others and also the main sponsor Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BAML).

In today's society there is a greater emergence of openly gay individuals and I believe this is a great step towards equality and eradication of homophobia, but also promoting a stronger and positive image of equality in that it will prove that minorities can do equal and sometimes maybe better jobs than the majority, just because there are stereotypes that you might feel that you need to conform to, or others see you in that way, it doesn't mean you have to conform.