Our Team is Proud for Pride 2023

At Good Sammy it is so important for us and our employees to be leaders in inclusion and acceptance. We always support each other to gain the courage to be our true selves.

This month we were so proud to celebrate our team members who identify as LGBTQIA+ with a fun and funky pre-loved photoshoot for the Good Sammy Online Store. Our team sourced second hand clothing to style colourful looks that highlighted fun, sustainable clothing (available for sale if you like to buy used clothes online!)

We champion inclusive work places and wanted to sit down with Bec and Savanna to speak all things PRIDE, style, rainbow, and online store.

How did you enjoy modelling for a PRIDE themed shoot?

Savanna: I have never been in front of the camera for a photoshoot! I enjoyed it. It’s fun to be in front of the camera as I'm always normally behind the camera. 

Bec: My favourite outfit was the orange one, I never thought I’d see myself in a dress like that but there you go. This photoshoot is big to me, this interview is to build my confidence and help me accept who I am (plus I love dressing up!!).

How would you describe your personal style?

Bec: My style has become more feminine. I have a unique spin on sustainable clothing. I love affordable vintage fashion, bonus if I can find it on a thrifting trip. I have evolved my style working at Good Sammy, trying on different styles for photos, it’s made it easier to try new things. I feel so much more confident now to wear what I like where I would never do so before.

Mum thinks it’s great. She said “you should’ve been doing it ages ago!”

Everyone says my changing look suits me. People are proud, it’s not easy to make a change and it’s scary, it proves to myself I can do things. I might even dye my hair, basically the sky is the limit. I’m not scared of changing my look or doing something different. Full steam ahead!

Do you shop pre-loved a lot?

Bec: I love to buy second hand clothes. I love that I can find cheap vintage clothing and unique things- I normally look for a bit of everything, mostly tops, I dabble into the skirts. There are so many good quality second hand clothes for sale. It is awesome because it circular fashion is good for everyone.

It’s a great day when I can go to the op shop: I spend time with my mother and I love seeing how involved people get and how they light up, it’s heart-warming. Op shopping in Perth is so different from fast fashion, so unique, every product is different. It’s nice to interact with people.

Savanna: I've always shopped at Good Sammy, I loved op shopping and I’ve always known about Good Sammy. I found out about the ecommerce internship when it was emailed to me by one of my Unit Coordinators at uni. Naturally I applied and my love of op shopping was a perfect match.

What are your top tips to being comfortable in your own style?

Bec: Not many people have the opportunities I have, I acknowledge that. At work I’ve been encouraged to be BRAVE and that has really pushed me to be who I am. Ask some friends for advice. Have a safe environment or someone you’re comfortable with to try something new. If you are nervous you can always op shop online which is a little more private than going in store. There is no wrong or right decision.

I challenged myself to do something different. When you wake up you can decide exactly who you want to be. My disability and LGBT identity used to hold me back a lot, I realised that trying something new didn’t change who I am, only how I feel about it.

Could you tell us a little about your LGBTQ+ journey?

Bec: When I was 16, I began to question myself after feeling attracted to females. I was very confused at my attraction of both genders. I did research on the computer and came to a quick understanding.  I didn’t tell anyone at that point that I identified as lesbian. I recently discovered I was bisexual. I used to only like girls, but there wasn’t any reason for the change, it just happened. I had to come out again to my parents.

What was that like?

Bec: It was scary- there have been conversations. In other situations it was quite difficult. It is disheartening when people don’t accept me for who I am. Some people seem to not believe this is a thing I’m going through.

Being a person who is LGBTQIA+ and also has a disability has impacted me. Having an intellectual disability has its own challenges that make it hard to understand and make sense of what is going on and to find clarity. There’s a very small number of people with disability that identify as LGBTQIA+, I can only think of one other than myself.

What is your relationship with technology in your life?

Bec: Computers and technology has helped me access information and reach out to people. I typed in something like “why am I attracted to boys and girls” I know that sounds simple at the time but it gave me the answer I needed. With technology, we are using it for everything more and more these days, a little bit too much sometimes… if [people with disability] don’t have access to learning computer skills, we can’t do banking and day to day skills. I use technology for social media, looking up recipes [as a part of independent living], looking up directions and calculator to name a few. I use it every day.

It is important for people with disability to have access to technology and computer skills. Being in a tech based environment helps with everything in life. My English and comprehension has improved while working here, I’ve learned new things I’ve never learned. Now I hope to get opportunities to teach other people.

Savanna: I like tech, I value social media, as a tool to share content. I use it socially and professionally. Even during casual use, technology gives me creative inspiration and soft skills for the profession I want to get into.

In my internship I have learned about running a business social media page. Being able to align styling and fashion marketing with a brand’s visions, as well as working with a brief. Through my internship I was able to apply the practice of producing fashion content and publish work that I’m proud of. 

Working alongside people disability has educated me the difficulties they face on things other people don’t think twice about. It raised awareness for me, sectors where accessibility needs to be increased, and places where accessibility can be easily forgotten. Technology and the digital world is a huge space where accessibility should be a larger focus than it is.

What does PRIDE mean to you?

Bec: I’ve always wanted to be a bigger part of the community but I have no one to go with, I’ve talked to the people in the space online. Although I don’t go out and celebrate yet, it makes me realise there’s a community out there, I’m not alone, I belong somewhere and there are people out there who believe in what I do.

Savanna: I think it's important to do anything we can to normalise and celebrate the community. It’s nice for me to be able to be a part of that. I really enjoyed being part of the photoshoot and being part of something that encouraged others and me to express themselves and be unapologetic because those are things I really value.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Bec: I don’t know to be honest. I want to be at a PRIDE parade making friends, dressing up in colour, by myself or with a partner. I’d like to advocate for people with disability and I’m proudly myself. I want to bring awareness, that I’m an ordinary person.