TACOMA, Wash.–Mike Beall, co-owner of CU Strategic Planning, released a video on National Coming Out Day in which he shared his own story of being gay and dealing with homophobia in the credit union community.
In releasing the video, the company said Beall had not previously felt the need to remark publicly on his sexuality, but he now increasingly feels the need to be counted as an LGBTQ credit union leader for people to see the “contributions LGBTQ people make at all levels of the credit union movement.”
National Coming Out Day, celebrated earlier this month, is an annual awareness day to support LGBT+ people. More information can be found here.
Beall, former CEO of the National Cooperative Business Association, the Maryland and DC Credit Union Association and the Missouri Credit Union Association, recalled his outing to the credit union movement vividly when a trade publication quoted someone as saying about him, “They just don’t make league presidents like they used to.”
‘I Was Shocked’
“At the time I was shocked,” Beall said in a statement. “I was reading about a situation that marked my start as a league CEO, entry to this high level of the credit union system. Before I had entered the room that day a room full of professionals had heard me introduced in this derogatory way. I hadn’t seen that sort of homophobia directed to my face. My shock resounding in knowing it had been spoken about me, not to me.”
“I wanted to share this story on Oct. 11, National Coming Out Day, because I hope my story helps others,” Beall continued. “I own that statement now: No, they don’t make league presidents like they used to!”
Beall shared in a coming out video on CU Strategic Planning’s website that he’s glad it happened.
LGBTQ Outreach Needed
According to Beall, credit unions have gone too long without talking more openly about the service of LGBTQ people as CEOs, leaders, front line staff, volunteers and even association executives. Now, diversity, equity and inclusion have become a more common topic of educational sessions and discussion across the national credit union community, he noted.
“We still don’t see credit unions with enough LGBTQ outreach, targeted products, marketing campaigns and showing up at Pride celebrations in cities and towns across America. There is so much more to be done,” he said.