Innovation Summer 2026

AUTHENTICITY ACCEPTANCE &

IN THE WORKPLACE

By Brian MacIver

Are you comfortable being your authentic self as a professional? It’s a question engineers and geoscientists who are queer navigate in their work environment. To take a closer look at what that means, four registrants from Engineers and Geoscientists BC’s 2SLGBTQIA+ working group share their individual experiences in the workplace.

E arly in her career, Lorry Mackay (she/her), EIT, RPF, was on the road to a remote work site visit, alone in a truck with a colleague for the day. The trip was going well until the colleague began talking about “his friend who had a gay son,” then moved into sharing his own opinions about queer people. “He was using … offensive language that I didn’t call him out on,” said Mackay, who is bisexual. “He was trying to confirm that I also feel the same way about queer people.” Because she did not openly disclose her identity, Mackay said he had assumed she was

heterosexual, and further assumed that “heterosexuality equals normal,” she explained. In the moment, Mackay chose not to confront him directly despite his use of a derogatory term. “I didn’t really bite, and I tried to shut the conversation down as best as possible,” she said. “Eventually, he took the hint.” But internally, the impact was immediate. “I remember in that moment feeling pretty anxious,” she said. “I could feel my heart beating a little faster. I was incredibly uncomfortable.”

Innovation Summer 2026

47