LGBTQ+ History Month (October) is an annual observance celebrating the milestones, impacts and invaluable contributions made by the LGBTQ+ community. In honor of the month, Blue Yonder associate Ronald Bayer reflects on his experiences and how community perspectives have shifted over time.
For much of my life, being openly gay wasn't just difficult—it felt impossible. Growing up in East Germany, where state control and social conformity ruled, there was no space for diversity, no safe place for someone like me. In the early 1980s, across most of Europe—especially behind the Iron Curtain—being LGBTQ+ was taboo, hidden and often condemned. The political and cultural climate silenced people like me and delayed my coming out until much later in life.
While I was growing up in that environment, it was nearly unthinkable to live openly. I followed the unwritten rules of what was considered a “normal” life: I got married, had children, and tried to bury the part of myself I feared would never be accepted. I lived with that weight for years.
But something unexpected began to stir in East Germany in the late ’80s. The country saw a surprising and powerful LGBTQ+ rights movement, one that even gained acknowledgment from the government. It was around this time that the groundbreaking film “Coming Out” was released—the first movie with LGBTQ+ issues and representation produced in East Germany. Watching it changed something in me. For the first time, I saw my own feelings reflected on screen not as a sickness, but as something human and valid.
Still, it would take many more years before I had the courage to come out fully—to my family, to my friends, to myself. Community perspectives began to shift, and laws slowly caught up with the idea of equality. But society’s deep-rooted traditions were a tougher barrier to break. Even as laws changed, minds and hearts took longer to follow.
Then, like a high-speed train, the world began to change. Acceptance became a central value in countries across the Western world and beyond. I knew I had to be part of this journey. I found my seat, and it transformed my life. I opened up to the people around me. And to my surprise, I was met not with judgment, but with love. My children, my family, my friends, and my coworkers embraced me for who I am. They saw a happier, more genuine man—one finally free of the burden he'd carried for decades.
I was proud. Joyful. Energized by a future that seemed bright and full of promise.
It seems though that in recent years, that train has begun to slow and instead be met with a troubling resurgence of intolerance and fear. The progress we've made feels increasingly fragile. Members of the LGBTQ+ community may find themselves again feeling as though they must justify their right to exist without fear or shame.
During my time in Chicago, I was active in LGBTQ+ organizations like the Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus and various inclusive sports groups. Those years were filled with celebration, unity and the joy of finally being seen. But I also witnessed the gradual shift—from celebration back to resistance. Now, as I begin a new chapter in Milan, I'm proud to continue supporting organizations like the Checcoro Choir, GateVolley, and my company’s LGBTQ+ Business Impact Group, BYourself.
The shift the LGBTQ+ community has experienced reinforces that, sadly, our place in society is not a given—it is something we must protect and nurture. I call on all allies, community members and advocates: don’t let the train stop. Help fuel it again. Because a prosperous and fair reality is not just a dream—it is a responsibility we all share.
Let’s keep it moving.