Swimming upstream against the flow!

Lewis Bell-Cawthra reflects on what it has meant to “swim upstream” as a gay man moving from an accepting environment into a corporate recruitment culture where he experienced exclusion, stereotyping and homophobic abuse. He and Joanne Lockwood explore how everyday assumptions and workplace “banter” can escalate into real harm when leaders and HR minimise incidents rather than address them.

Lewis shares how he responded by choosing visibility and advocacy: becoming a trustee and communications lead for Exeter Pride, speaking with schools and businesses, and encouraging employers to treat inclusion as more than a tick-box exercise. He discusses practical changes he has made as a recruiter to challenge bias in hiring, including tailoring job adverts to attract broader audiences, anonymising details where appropriate, and having direct conversations with clients about diversity early in the relationship.

The conversation also touches on the importance of allyship and internal networks, building safe community spaces (including an LGBTQ+ football team), and sustaining motivation during furlough and lockdown through connection, routines and learning. Throughout, Lewis emphasises openness, persistence and finding or shaping workplaces where people can be themselves without having to repeatedly “come out.”