MORGAN CLEARY
Manager, David Jones and Wholesale - Capri Australia
The realization I was gay came to me around 14 years of age, about a year
after the bullying started! There were no queer characters on TV, openly
gay celebrities and forget social media, there was no internet! I'd never
met anyone who was gay and from my initial experience, nobody liked gay
people. The idea that I could live a happy and fulfilling life as a gay man
seemed highly unlikely. I was a confident kid; however this didn't prevent
my fears of rejection or physical harm. You never forget how others made
you feel during that time of self-realization, for better or worse these
experiences impacted my formative years and shaped the person I've become. Being part of the LGBTQI
community, I have suffered rejection based on something entirely beyond my control. Being born into
an otherwise privileged life, these experiences have instilled in me an empathy for those in much more
difficult situations than my own. The world is crowded with people living in fear of being judged, bullied,
physically harmed, incarcerated, or even killed for being themselves. I'll never be able to fully comprehend
just how hard it is for these people, but I am grateful for the perspective my own experience has afforded
me and for the community that has accepted, loved, and protected me. I've been incredibly fortunate to
find great role models in the community and have family and friends that love me for me. This support has
meant, the happy and fulfilling life that seemed so unlikely as a teenager has become a reality. Community
support helped me learn to love myself, so I could love somebody.
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHTS
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