You know that feeling when you walk into a room and don't have to explain yourself? When the tension drops, and you just belong?
I've been lucky enough to feel that a few times - at jazz band rehearsals, around tables with fellow makers, and late at night in conversations that became lifelong friendships.
I want to create more of those moments. That's why AJ and I are organising a small Pride Month drinks evening for LGBTQIA+ product people in London.
I've been accidentally building communities my whole life - from the music society at uni to the Minecraft server that taught me strangers can become genuine friends. And what I've learned is this: the best communities aren't built around what you do. They're built around who you are.
Some of the most valuable conversations I've had about product haven't happened at meetups or on panels. They've happened in the quiet corners of pubs, when someone drops the professional mask and says, “actually, I've been struggling with this too.”
That's what we're creating here. Just 8-10 LGBTQIA+ folks working in product, getting together to talk, connect, and share the stuff that doesn't make it into LinkedIn posts.
Not because exclusivity is the goal - but because intimacy is. No presentations, no structure. Just good drinks, good company, and permission to be real.
I wish this kind of space had existed earlier in my career. So now I'm making it.
Maybe we'll only do this once. Maybe we'll do another. That's not the point. The point is to start, and see what grows.
If you're an LGBTQIA+ product leader in London (or can make it here), I'd love to meet you. Drop me a line at mckenziejdan@gmail.com or connect on LinkedIn.
