Pride in Aviation: Why LGBTQ+ Representation Matters

Happy Pride Month, everyone! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Let’s appreciate how far we’ve come as a community—how we’ve earned our place, gained a meaningful representation, and how we can walk freely and fearlessly anytime, anywhere. While there are still stereotypes surrounding the LGBTQ+ community and so much work to be done in breaking those stigmas, we can’t help but be proud of the progress and effort each of us is putting in to make our voices heard and our presence felt.

“Why are many flight attendants gay?” We’ve been asked this a lot, and when we really think about it, it’s likely because they feel safer in our industry! In this episode, we’re diving into all things queer in aviation. We’re squashing stereotypes, talking about why true representation matters, and unapologetically, being ourselves (Sorry, not sorry!).

Here is what Pride looks like at 35,000 feet!

Episode Highlights:
[0:00] Welcome to Episode #37!
[1:00] #1 reason people visit our website
[1:48] Rich had fun doing turns
[4:26] Drew & what pins represent
[5:44] Being a safe space for someone
[7:42] The stereotype
[8:55] Have conversation with people first
[11:08] Celebrating YOU in the aviation industry
[14:14] Are flight attendants getting enough media representation?
[16:56] Now, it's getting better! (ask flight attendants)
[18:39] The industry & the queer community
[20:32] Mindset shifts, empowerment
[22:17] Traveling anywhere, safely, and without judgment
[23:46] Rainbow pins & lanyards
[25:37] Uniform diversity (Airlines, listen!)
[29:18] StaffTraveler is super convenient
[31:03] The true essence of Pride celebrations

Transcript

Welcome to Episode #37!

SPEAKER_01 0:00

You see a rainbow lanyard and you think at least one other person on this plane is gonna be cool today. Don't ask these flight attendants because we're just hilarious tassy games. So we're not gonna help with uh are you thinking we're the stereotype?

SPEAKER_02 0:13

Are we the stereotype? Maybe. We might be. I do feel like now it's getting better in terms of representation in the media, but not for flight attendants. We've yet to uh to figure that one out. We've yet to figure out our job. Why are so many flight attendants gay? This is a question that we get all the time, especially as two gay flight attendants. And believe it or not, it is the Wait, there's two gay flight attendants. Yeah, you don't remember that thing where we walked down the aisle and committed to each other for life? Did you recall? It was a I remember.

#1 reason people visit our website

SPEAKER_02 1:00

So why are so many flight attendants gay? And believe it or not, this is the number one Google search that brings people to twoguysonaplane.com, which I find hilarious, and I'm also a little flattered. I'm like, we're the number one source for gay flight attendant material. Why not? Right? That's amazing. But it's a question that is rooted, of course, in stereotypes because not all flight attendants are gay, not all male flight attendants are gay, but it is a question that we get a lot, and we've talked about it a couple times on our podcasts. I know we did an earlier episode um on being LGBTQ in aviation, so go check that out if you haven't listened already. But we figured in honor of Pride Month we would talk about all things being queer in aviation and what this stereotype means and what pride looks like at 35,000 feet. But before we dive into

Rich had fun doing turns

SPEAKER_02 1:48

that, Rich, how's flying been lately? Flying lately has been really good, and it's it again scaring me because I've just it's crew every time. It always is. And you've been flying high hours, which is not unlike you. No, but all I need is like one day. This is my problem with flying turns, is I just like need one turn to go wrong, and I'm like dropping the rest of the month. I'm done, I'm over this, I can't do it anymore.

SPEAKER_01 2:14

Mom, if you're listening, a turn is where we just run out and back, just a day trip.

SPEAKER_02 2:18

Just a turn. And it's funny explaining that to people because they still don't get it. Like our moms really don't understand. It's like, oh, I'm doing an Aruba turn today, and they're like, Oh, Aruba. Oh, must be nice, which I could. It's like I don't want to even leave the plane. My mom's always like, Cancun must have been beautiful.

SPEAKER_01 2:34

And I'm like, the plane looked the same. Do you know how small my window is? Inside the same, no matter where I land. But thanks for trying.

SPEAKER_02 2:41

Yeah, but doing turns lately has been really good for me in terms of routine. Like, I've been just really enjoying, like, okay, I'm usually waking up at a certain time, I'm having breakfast this way, I'm meal prepping this way, my uniforms this way. Like, it's just also really nice to not pack a big, full, heavy suitcase like every time I go to work.

SPEAKER_01 3:00

I don't think it's a secret. We all know she's a turn. I love them very much for this exact reason.

SPEAKER_02 3:05

I'm finally starting to understand this lifestyle that you live because I like sleeping in my own bed.

SPEAKER_01 3:11

Also spent so much time on the road. I it it's just really nice to like come home to my husband and have dinner and like do those normal things that like couples do.

SPEAKER_02 3:20

Yeah, I completely agree with that.

SPEAKER_01 3:22

Um it's not so much time apart. It is nice to like come home and spend time together, too. So I like that you're doing turns. I it's not gonna last forever, I promise.

SPEAKER_02 3:31

But I like that you're doing I am such a mood, mood person when it comes to trips. I'm like, I'm not feeling this right now, I'm gonna do this. And that's honestly one of my favorite things about being a flight attendant, is there's so many types of trips like turns, multi-day trips, international, domestic, like red eyes, morning flights. Like you can just mix it up and it's never boring, it's never stale, and if you get tired of something, you just move on.

SPEAKER_01 3:54

And it's I'm really glad that the turns have been good for you. I'm really glad that you've been able to adjust your schedule, fly with crews that you enjoy flying with, and I'm glad since you're flying so high that uh flights have or that your flying has been good for you. Yeah. How about you? How's flying been? Uh, you know, it's been it's been it's been flying. Um it's been flying. It's been flying. Period, the end. Um, it's really funny that we're talking about this topic today because um, you

Drew & what pins represent

SPEAKER_01 4:26

know, I am usually covered in enamel pins, regardless of what don't tell on me. If you're listening, don't come after me about my uniform. But I'm usually covered in enamel pins because I just love them so much. And the other day I was wearing um one that we got from a flight attendant, uh the Rainbow Life Fest one.

SPEAKER_02 4:47

Oh, from Flying JXH. Yes, her pins are amazing. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 4:52

Uh if she's still making them, we'll link her so you can find the pins because they're amazing. Um, they're all aviation themed, and she released uh Pride Life Fest a few years ago. Um, and I'm lucky enough to have one of them, and I just love it. So I was wearing that pin, and then I was wearing a pronoun pen next to it, and um, I had this mom or this lady uh get on the plane, and she was like, Oh my god, I love your pins. And I was like, Oh, really? And she was like, Yes. She was like, My uh daughter is trans, and it's really nice to see the pronouns and the rainbows when you board an airplane because it's really nice to know that it would it's a safe space for us to be, or that we have someone that is a safe space to like be on an airplane with. And I was like, I that's the biggest compliment to me is for someone to think that I'm a safe space for them.

SPEAKER_02 5:40

That's so beautiful. I I love that too because sometimes

Being a safe space for someone

SPEAKER_02 5:44

people look at that sort of stuff as just being performative, correct. And in our profession specifically, it means a lot. And like I remember, you know, I still wear it, but like I have a Black Lives Matter pin. And when we were kind of at the height of that, like I had this family come on, and you know, they like saw the pin and they kind of looked at me and then they kept moving, and I didn't think much of it. And then later in the flight, like the mom grabbed my arm as I was walking through the aisle, and she was like, Thank you for making this a safe space for me and my family today. And it's like I don't do it to get that sort of reaction or feedback, but I do do it for that reason.

SPEAKER_01 6:25

I do it because I'm a part of a community, and I want you to know that I'm a part of a community. Exactly. Um, it is about me, and I want to look cute while I'm at work and Rainbow Life Vest on my uniform is adorable, but it is nice that people recognize that it is about building a community and knowing that you have, you know, allies on the plane with you.

SPEAKER_02 6:42

Yeah, no, I'm I completely agree, and I can't tell you how many like um young people I've had, you know, teenagers and college-age kids that like see the pride watch band that I have or the pride pin that I have, and they are like, I feel seen, or there's just this unspoken bond, or they do say something, and it's like I don't do it to get praise or feedback or anything like that, but I do want people to feel safe around me. I want people to know that I am not, you know, I'm not a bad person, and and I'm very supportive and open and loving, and I I think we need to celebrate diversity, and anyone who thinks otherwise is trash.

SPEAKER_01 7:24

I generally have a pronoun pen on me, and it's really nice when doing service where people are like, minor and what are yours, and then it just helps with communication, and uh I it's just a it it's a dialogue builder, right? And to make so I agree with you a hundred percent. Yeah, that's exactly what it's for.

The stereotype

SPEAKER_02 7:42

Um, I get really frustrated sometimes with our industry though, because I feel like when we started as flight attendants, like there is this stereotype about okay, why are so many flight attendants gay? And while obviously there are a lot of us in aviation, it it's frustrated me that there is such a lack of diversity still and a lack of respect among co-workers sometimes. Like I've flown with people who, you know, wear a uniform, you know, that they're comfortable in that maybe isn't what you know their gender would typically be wearing, but that's how what they want to wear, and that's how they feel good. And I've flown with co-workers who are judgy about that and who don't understand it, and it's like these things are not for you to understand or to, you know, really care about. Like this isn't for you, this is for them, and you need to let people be people, and it frustrates me because sometimes I really believe that we're in this like beautiful bubble of diversity in aviation because there are so many of us, and then other times I get really frustrated and disheartened at the way that people are treated that I see on the plane.

Have conversation with people first

SPEAKER_01 8:55

And you know what's wild to me, and I don't believe that it's up to the minority to educate the larger masses, right? I do also feel like that as a flight attendant, before you start judging someone else's like walk of life, like we're we talk about jump seat confessionals and jump seat therapy all the time. Like, sit down and have a conversation with the person and and figure out about their life and what's going on and why they're making the choices for the uniform that they're making.

SPEAKER_00 9:26

Right.

SPEAKER_01 9:27

Like, I mean, I'm a pretty open person. I'll tell you about my life if you ask about it. If you want to know about the pins that I'm wearing or why I'm wearing them or the uniform decisions that I've made, I'll tell you why I'm doing what I'm doing. Um, and there are, you know, for me, there are reasons behind the uniform choices that I'm making, but you know, it's to create a safe space for everyone to be in.

SPEAKER_02 9:48

I completely agree with that. I I firmly believe that these transphobic, homophobic, racist beliefs and views stem from a lack of understanding. And it's like you feel this way about a community because you don't know anybody. Correct. You don't know this community, and that's fine if the that's not your vibe or whatever, but like you don't get to mistreat people that you know nothing about. Right. And sit down, like you said, have a conversation, ask questions, educate yourself. I mean, look at the internet, it's a wild, vast place right now. Like, read a book, like there's plenty of like I mean, there's just so many ways to consume information now. Podcasts, books, TV shows, documentaries, like educate yourself, like just open your mind, open a book.

SPEAKER_01 10:42

Yeah, because the truth is, like, I mean, when I started the job, it was a safe space for me. Um, growing up in a small town, we've talked about this on our other podcasts. Remind me the episode name.

SPEAKER_02 10:56

Being LGBTQ in aviation.

SPEAKER_01 10:59

I'm I'm great. It's like one of the jobs. It's one of the first episodes. It was one of the first episodes, yeah. But we talked about this in that episode, and you know, I

Celebrating YOU in the aviation industry

SPEAKER_01 11:08

think there the stereotype is real, it exists, and I do think it draws people to the job because you feel like it's gonna be a safe space for you to be open and be who you are. Um, and I do think the job lends to that very well.

SPEAKER_02 11:22

It definitely does, and I I was drawn to the industry for that same reason, and I felt like there really is this freedom with this job to be yourself 110%, and you can do it so unapologetically because you're always working with different people, you're always meeting new passengers, like the odds of you seeing the same people over and over again at some airlines are usually pretty slim. So it's like, you know what? Today's the day I want to be a hundred and ten percent me, whether that's you know, like wearing your hair a certain way or putting nail polish on or getting your ears pierced or whatever like w you're doing to yourself or to your appearance or to how you portray yourself, like you can do it fully and unapologetically, because if the people that don't so that see that they don't like it or don't like you, it doesn't matter. Like their opinion does not matter. Correct. And so it really allows you this job, this career allows you to explore who you are and experiment with who you are in a way that I feel like no other career industry allows.

SPEAKER_01 12:34

I think it also gets you out of a bubble of people that choose to misunderstand you, and I think it allows you to explore other cultures or places that you choose to celebrate you, right. Uh which I think is really important. Which is probably I mean, it's one of the questions on our list here. I think that's probably why so many gay men are drawn to the job, truthfully. Yeah. Um for those two reasons, because you can fully explore yourself while also exploring cultures and communities that celebrate you more.

SPEAKER_02 13:05

Right. And I think we all know, you know, as queer people growing up, like a safe space is the most valuable thing you can find. For sure. Because you are still learning about yourself, you know, and while we're seeing more media representation of queer people of all types, growing up there was either none of it or there was the occasional stereotype of a certain type of gay man, and that was like the only real acceptable figure of queer identity in the media. And now we're seeing more and more, but having this safe space in aviation to be whatever version of you you want to be is like critical. I think that's why you know now it's I truly not just gay men anymore. I mean, it's there's plenty of trans people in aviation, there's plenty of lesbians in aviation, there's you know it's not just flight attendants anymore either, like there's plenty of pilots too. It's just it's beautiful to see uh see it grow and to see our community flourish.

SPEAKER_01 14:12

Yeah. You mentioned

Are flight attendants getting enough media representation?

SPEAKER_01 14:14

media representation. Do you feel like we get a fair representation as flight attendants uh in the media?

SPEAKER_02 14:21

Ooh, if we're taking gay out of the equation and just talking flight attendants, absolutely not. They make us seem like such dumbasses in the media sometimes. Like, I'm thinking about all the movies and TV shows I've seen, and for the most part, the flight attendants are portrayed as kind of just being like aloof and not there for safety, and that's the biggest misunderstanding of our job, anyway, is that safety is not like priority in the media, and like that's literally all we do, like everything we do is safety related. So when I watch a movie and it's like, okay, there's like a terrorist attack, or there's someone's hijacking the plane, and like a lot of times the you just see the flight attendants like running around like crazy, and it's always there's always some guy that shows up, it's like an air marshal or some like heroic passenger that saves the day. And it's like in reality, your flight attendants are the ones who are chasing after that that potential threat, you know? It's like yeah, so no, to answer your question, I do not think we're portrayed very much.

SPEAKER_01 15:23

Let's not take the gay out of it, let's keep the gay in. How do you think, as like queer people, we're represented in the media?

SPEAKER_02 15:31

I think that's also a very limited perception, right? Because you've got like a flamboyant gay guy who's talking about hooking up with people on a layover, and that of course happens, that stereotype is rooted in truth, right, but that is such a small portion of our community, and so I do get frustrated when I see that because I'm like, you know, we work with people who are doctors, nurses, lawyers, real estate agents, filmmakers, actors, like you've got people doing insane things that are so brilliant and have degrees, and it's like to limit us to the funny gay dude, bring us down to just like that funny, sassy gay guy who just has a few quips here and there. Yeah, it it hurts sometimes, I think, to see that. How do you feel about it?

SPEAKER_01 16:19

No, I totally agree, and I think the like in the media, the like representation of a male flight attendant is basically the same as like a hairdresser in a TV show, right? They're just that that funny character that's a filler character basically. Like the sidekick. Yeah, the funny best friend or whatever. Yeah, yeah. Um, and it's always the like overtly gay, flamboyant, super sassy, yes, you know, uh the female version of it or the male version of a hairdresser in a TV show. Right. It's gotten to that point with representation, and it it's just not who we are as people.

SPEAKER_02 16:55

I

Now, it's getting better! (ask flight attendants)

SPEAKER_02 16:56

do think it's starting to shift, but you were right, like especially back like 90s, early 2000s, you're looking at a gay character in a show is probably a white guy, probably in his 20s or 30s, probably a hairdresser, a flight attendant, or a florist, and like that was it. It was like gay people were not didn't exist outside of that preconceived notion. I do feel like now it's getting better in terms of representation in the media, but not for flight attendants. They've yet to uh to figure that one out. Yet to figure out our job. So yeah, I'm gonna need some of these studio executives to call us and start consulting people about who's really out there. Ask a flight attendant.

SPEAKER_01 17:40

You all do research on a lot of things. Ask a flight attendant what we're really doing.

SPEAKER_02 17:43

That would be such a fun gig though, is be like a aviation consultant for these movies that don't ask flight attendants because we're just hilarious sassy gigs.

SPEAKER_01 17:53

So we're not gonna help with uh are you saying we're the stereotype? Are we a stereotype? Maybe we might be. Don't ask us. I'm teasing. We are a little bit though. We are there. I try to be deny that. Would you say I try to be? I try to be.

SPEAKER_02 18:07

And in what ways are you trying to be a stereotype, my dear?

SPEAKER_01 18:10

I not a lot, honestly. Just the funny sassy. I try to be funny at work. I try to make it lighthearted and fun.

SPEAKER_02 18:17

I like being funny and I like being sassy. Same. So sue me. Tucks hair behind ear. I mean, we we did talk about how that perception is shifting a little bit now, you know, in the media, they're they're starting to get the hang of it a little bit better. Do you

The industry & the queer community

SPEAKER_02 18:39

feel like our industry has shifted? Like, how how do you feel that the industry has shifted when it comes to the queer community from when you started flying years ago to to now?

SPEAKER_01 18:55

It wasn't that many years ago. That's why I didn't say the number. Um yeah, I mean, I think that uniform standards are becoming more relaxed and more like be who you are. I think we have a long way to go. Um, these airlines have a long way to go to like fully like just degender the uniforms to where people can fully show up to work uh present and who they want to be. Um, but I think there most airlines are making strides to allowing people to be comfortable at work with who they are. So I think that's allowed a lot more. I think a lot of people when I started thought that it was just gay men because it was so easy to like not easy, but the female uniform standards were so strict that everyone looked really feminine. You had to. Um, and I think that's one of the evolutions is I think that you can see more queer people in aviation, not just gay men now, uh, who've always been there, but because of the uniform standards and the way they've relaxed a bit to allow people to show up who they are, I think you're seeing um a lot more masculine females show up in like suits and ties, or more feminine men show up in you know, skirts and scarves versus, you know, the rigidness of all of it. So I think you're seeing a broader spectrum of queer people in aviation. So I think I think that's where the stereotype that you know aviation was just gay men came from because it was really hard to hide. Or not really hard to hide, it's really easy to hide, but we chose not to.

SPEAKER_02 20:31

I

Mindset shifts, empowerment

SPEAKER_02 20:32

think that you you touched on a really good point there too, that these people have always existed and these people have always existed in aviation. It's just that for so long the sassy gay male flight attendant was the only one who was even remotely tolerated, let alone celebrated. Correct. And so now I feel like as we're seeing the world shift a little bit, we're also seeing that mindset shift and people are feeling more empowered to come out of the dark, come out of the closet, and to, you know, live their truth and be unapologetic about who they are. Um, I think you often see this narrative in the media that's like, oh what you know, why are there so many gay people now? Why are there where do these trans people come from? And it's like we've all always been here. Right. Like we've been here the whole time. Yeah. You've just had your eyes closed, and we've had to hide from you because it the world was not a welcoming, supportive place.

SPEAKER_01 21:36

Yeah, and I think that's the other thing in aviation that's really changed, right? Because we used to I don't know the exact term for it, code switch, maybe, but we weren't able to say husband, we would say partner, we weren't able to say boyfriend, we would say roommate, or things like that. And I think a lot more queer people are in a place where we're not hiding anymore. I mean, that's exactly it, right? I openly talk about.

SPEAKER_02 22:00

my husband I openly talk about the things you know I have friends that openly talk about girlfriends boyfriends husbands wives like those are all a part of our we've stopped we've stopped code switching code switching yeah no I think I think that's um a great way to describe it and I

Traveling anywhere, safely, and without judgment

SPEAKER_02 22:17

think the interesting part about that is we talk about this a lot when we travel because there's really no place we wouldn't travel to and obviously there are certain countries there's queer people that are so much harder to travel to because they have very homophobic laws and we have to be careful of that and we have to be mindful of that and while I know it's a hot topic a lot of people a lot of gay people don't want to go to these places you know we are still traveling to some of them and there are queer people there that exist and that you know also need support too so you know that's that's a whole nother conversation but that is a whole nother topic but I I feel like that it it's important to recognize that that was how aviation used to be that was how the whole world used to be yeah you walk into these places these spaces with fear with that question in the back of your mind of like am I gonna be safe here if I say husband or do anything to let anybody know that I'm gay am I gonna be okay? Is something bad gonna happen to me? These are just questions we face as people in the LGBTQ community and I feel like it's slowly left aviation. Whereas we can walk on a plane and say my husband or whatever the case may be and no one's surprised no one's judging you right off the bat for that sort of thing. And I think that's a really powerful difference that we're seeing now.

SPEAKER_01 23:45

And

Rainbow pins & lanyards

SPEAKER_01 23:46

in talking about pride I think it's important that we recognize that like most companies now let us most airlines let us celebrate for all of Pride Month which I think is great. I've heard a lot of conversation about it being performative on their part. And be that I can't answer that question, right? I can't tell you what the company's motive is for allowing rainbow pins or rainbow lanyards or things like that to come on the plane during or be a part of our uniforms during Pride Month. But what I can tell you is that for the employee who's able to wear a rainbow lanyard or add a rainbow pin and create that safe space for not only their co-workers who are either queer themselves or allies to express themselves for that month or just in general on an airplane or for the safe space that it creates for the passenger experience I'm thankful that they allow those things to happen personally because they could easily go back to 1995 and not allow it anymore. That's true.

SPEAKER_02 24:46

Yeah and I'm with you like as a crew as a passenger like whether I'm on both sides of it when I see that I'm I immediately breathe a sigh of relief.

SPEAKER_01 24:57

Yeah because you see a rainbow lanyard and you think at least one other person on this plane is gonna be cool to them like at least they get me and I don't I'm not in fear anymore.

SPEAKER_02 25:08

It's a really powerful symbol um and and I love seeing that and to go back to uniforms a little bit too um I just don't understand why it's so hard for these airlines to to change some of these policies like some airlines are doing a really good job right now. So good and some airlines are still giving so much pushback and I'm specifically talking about the US I know things are a lot different in other countries but um it's

Uniform diversity (Airlines, listen!)

SPEAKER_02 25:37

frustrating to see because you know have a female collection for people who want to wear that have a male collection for people that want to wear that and then have a gender neutral collection and this isn't you know this is for everybody like it doesn't even necessarily mean that it has to be just for queer people or whatever the case may be like some people just aren't that kind of person or don't want to identify that way or you know I know plenty of women who don't want to wear dress like there's pant options for them now.

SPEAKER_01 26:10

Why why can't there be a dress option for men or why can't whoever I know plenty of ladies that just like to wear a scar like a tie instead of a scarf because it just tie with a vest it's a really cute look for them we can't do that because I mean men wear ties females wear scarves it's just crazy too I would agree when both of those things are relatively neutral already.

SPEAKER_02 26:30

Correct and it really you can still look uniform and have multiple options for different people so yeah I get really frustrated when I see airlines being like well you know and we can't and whatever and it's like stop making excuses and support your employees support the people that work there so they can support the customers.

SPEAKER_01 26:51

And that's it, right? Because if you allow me to show up dress the way that I want to in the uniform that I want to wear I'm a happier person which allows me to be a happier person to your um customers and I mean that's what I think all airlines want is for their employees to be good to their customers. But you have to be good to me in order for me to get to get that out of me.

SPEAKER_02 27:13

Right. And that's like again a whole nother conversation but like employee morale being in the dumps is like they're not going to treat your customers well your customer service course are crappy because your customer service to your employees is crappy. Like it's it really is a ripple effect very cyclical on this one.

SPEAKER_01 27:32

You are good to me I'm good to them and everyone's happy right but a big part of that is allowing me to show up as my whole self comfortable confident and who I am and in the workspace the environment that I am and it's it would be so easy to degender these uniforms and just say here's the collection wear what you want I don't I don't understand why we're everyone's not there yet I'll never I'll never get it I'm with you and I this is why I also love non-reving on other airlines too because all around the world it there's such a variety of uniforms now it's insane.

SPEAKER_02 28:07

Like you've got people in three piece suits and just looking as formal as ever and then you've got people in like sneakers and shorts and things like that and it's like every airline has a different personality um and yeah that's why I love when we travel and we use Staff Traveler. We're always going on these different airlines and sometimes we'll be looking at loads and we'll look at routes and it's like okay here's these airlines and these airlines okay staff traveler says there's also a flight on this other airline it's later it might take us longer but we haven't flown on that airline so let's take that one like we're we're such little avi geeks in that way where every time we look at at Staff Traveler at the flight loads we're always like I need to find an airline that I haven't flown on yet because I want to geek out over how they do their service what their uniforms look like and all sorts of fun stuff.

SPEAKER_01 28:58

Yeah I and it's nice to get on those international carriers and see the Pride pens and things that other airlines allow too like it's not just an American thing that allows people to show visibility which I think is also amazing. But I do love staff traveler for that a lot because we do we do pick airlines we've never flown on before for those reasons.

StaffTraveler is super convenient

SPEAKER_02 29:18

I was excited because the other day we were I you know there's like that joke going around where like the big purchases have to be made this is like such a millennial trait the big purchases have to be made on the computer like have you heard this like small like you can't do big purchases on your phones when it comes to like flights and like bigger purchases like that you have to do it. I think more of a millennial than I thought I would I don't know so we but we pulled out our laptop the other day because we're gonna buy flights for an upcoming trip which we like almost never do and I went into Staff Traveler just to use their root explorer and see like how how we'd get to where we want to go and like what airlines to check and they their priority access like request that you can do which I love is now available on their web app too so not just mobile. So Staff Traveler fully supporting this millennial trait of like big purchases are on the computer because I use Staff Traveler's root explorer to check the route and then I went over to the airline's website to buy the tickets but we were like geeking out over it and I we were starting to plan other trips because we're so like that where it's like oh we should go here and then we're like wait what are we doing on the computer again but anyway staff traveler has made so many good enhancements to their app lately you guys have to check it out go to stafftraveler.com slash two guys it is the number one non-rev app it makes travel easy and stress free and you will not be disappointed by their new web updates and their priority requests I promise.

SPEAKER_01 30:44

And with over a million users it's so quick and easy to get your uh load request answered these days. Yeah the more people that are on it the better so get on it all right so I think we've talked a lot about pride and visibility today um which I appreciate

The true essence of Pride celebrations

SPEAKER_01 31:03

um because pride isn't just about wearing rainbows and being loud it's really it's really important just to know that you can just exist as yourself in the world and in your workspace and um all these little rainbows and things aren't about being loud they're just about creating a safe space.

SPEAKER_02 31:18

I agree and I think in the crazy world that we live in right now where I feel like in so many ways we're moving backwards. Like there's just so many issues happening in the news and around the world that we're seeing where it's like oh we're doomed as a society but like these little moments of hope and these little um pride celebrations and the way people are embracing who they are and embracing community and embracing being queer is so beautiful and inspiring to see and like I just think about little baby gay rich as a kid and like there I saw nothing. There was no queer representation when I was a kid and when I watch you know certain shows where the queer love story is the focal point I'm like it moves me and it fills me with tears because I'm like kids are growing up now with the possibility of seeing people like them. Yeah and knowing it's okay to be that way.

SPEAKER_01 32:20

And you know what else I love all the places that like two guys on a plane has taken us within aviation to meet other queer people like being on um a podcast with queer um air traffic controllers and queer pilots that we've come into contact with and you hit the nail on the head little baby Andrew I didn't get a lot of queer representation and we were on the podcast the other day with the air traffic controllers and truthfully I said it there and I'll say it here like I am just trying to live a life that little baby Andrew would have thought wow I can be that person um I can be that human so it's great to see all the places that we're represented and and thanks to two guys on a plane and I just realize I love all the places that we've gotten to meet and interact with other queer people that are doing the same thing representing people so well or representing us as a community so well.

SPEAKER_02 33:19

Yeah I remember growing up and being from Boston being queer was an insult. It was something you said to someone and people would call me queer as a kid and I just it felt like a gut punch. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 33:35

And now I'm able to think it felt like that way in Boston imagine what it felt like in rural Southern America.

SPEAKER_02 33:42

It just was very commonplace in Boston culture. Um that and another word that I won't say but it's really beautiful to use that word now and feel empowered by it. Correct and just it gives me hope for the world that we live in and the future for queer people.

SPEAKER_01 34:02

Same. I love it.

SPEAKER_02 34:04

Well that's it for today but go ahead over to patreon.com slash two guys in a plane if you want more from us we've got tons of behind the scenes content early access to new episodes exclusive galley gang merch which we're really excited about so go check that out at patreon.com slash two guys in a plane and thank you for supporting our show we truly couldn't do this without you and join us next time for more humor heart and stories from our beverage cart. Yay This episode was brought to you by Staff Traveler the number one non rev app if you travel on standby tickets and are looking to make your journey easy and stress free check out the Staff Traveler app in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Visit stafftraveler.com slash two guys to learn more and sign up