Pride and representation at Sussex Wildlife Trust
For Pride month 2026, Ranger, Dav Bridger, shares his experience of working in conservation
When I was in Year 3 at school, I was called ‘gay’ for the first time. I was seven, and had no idea what that meant, only that I quickly became an outcast and a pariah as it and related terms caught on. At that age, the only things on my mind were Pokémon, how much I desperately wanted a dog, and that I loved whiling away weekends in the New Forest. Despite my nascence and naivety, the court of public opinion had made its verdict, and I was branded with my newfound scarlet letter.
This story is not unique, and practically every LGBTQ+ person I know has had a similar experience growing up, which we then must spend much of our young adulthood unpacking. At some point and without realising it, the bullies stopped, but you became so habituated to low self-worth that the biggest bully in your life has since become yourself. This is why I am so vehemently against the rhetoric of ‘let kids be kids’ when discussions around representation and education arise, because I was just a kid, and my bullies were too.
At twenty-six, I was just about to start my traineeship at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, an opportunity that I had waited so long and strived so hard for. It was a golden ticket into conservation, and I couldn’t wait to begin this next life-changing chapter. However, there was a small, niggling voice in the back of my head, warning me to prepare for the possibility of an industry and working environment of derision, bigotry dressed as ‘banter’, and ultimately, homophobia. Upon joining Sussex Wildlife Trust though, I am happy to say that that little voice was soon dismissed. I have only ever found the Trust to be a most welcoming, accepting and supportive environment, with a number of LGBTQ+ colleagues across different directorates and teams, who, just by being their authentic, unapologetic selves, made me feel safe and like I belonged - that I was no outcast after all.
A sense of belonging and understanding are key components in representation, and make for a healthy, happy dynamic in the workplace and wider society. Opening our eyes, ears and arms to engage and include others can shape how we see and understand ourselves, foster deeper connections and make meaningful change for the betterment of all. There is much furore about representation and EDI in the media and the current socio-political landscape - seeds of discourse only sown to divide us and distract us from the truly sinister threats of our time.
The UK remains one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, with our leaders only seeking to further strip our wildlife of what little protection it has in the pursuit of political scapegoating and point-scoring. We all have a part to play in the protection and restoration of nature, and in taking action for wildlife in Sussex and across the UK. Therefore, we must all be included, so that we can all be empowered to make an impact as a collective!
Ultimately, we are all human, and desire the same things: compassion, unity, to feel appreciated, understood, respected, and free to express ourselves without judgement. That is representation, and why it should matter to everyone.