今日吃瓜

Qantas pilot Lisa Norman is a role model for young LGBTIQ+ people everywhere, and she credits it to the inclusive nature of the airlines. Matthew Wade reports.

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When Lisa Norman was younger, she wasn鈥檛 sure what she wanted to pursue after finishing high school.

Despite an interest in flying 鈥� as well as a grandfather who served as a World War II pilot and an uncle who transferred his career into aviation 鈥撀爐he thought that she could turn that interest into a lifelong workplace didn鈥檛 cross her mind.

鈥淏eing female and not having career advisers back in those days, it wasn鈥檛 even a consideration,鈥� she says.

Wanting to save the world, she found herself at the Royal Children鈥檚 Hospital, helping doctors and nurses with their biopsies. However, she jokes that after fainting once or twice, the doctors and nurses 鈥渉ad to tend to me more than the children鈥�.

As a means to pay the bills and keep food on the table, she took up a different job at an industrial silicone plant in Melbourne, a plant that was conveniently placed right next to an airport.

During a day off, she paid $20 for a 20-minute flight in a small aeroplane, and loved it.

鈥淎t that point, my partner encouraged me to pursue it as a career, and it was a lightbulb moment,鈥� she says.

鈥淭he most important thing I said to myself at the time, was that I had to have a go at it鈥� if I didn鈥檛 make it it wouldn鈥檛 mean I was a failure, it would just mean that I didn鈥檛 let life pass me by.

鈥淭here are so many people that never have a go at what they want, and when they get to my age now or older think, what if I had done that?”

Now, as an international pilot who has worked with Qantas for 30 years, Norman is emblematic of how important it is to follow one鈥檚 dreams.

As a proud, gay pilot, the acceptance and drive for inclusivity she鈥檚 experienced with the airline has allowed her to bring her whole self to the workplace, without fear.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 come out to everyone until I was 36, which is a very long time to be uncomfortable in your own skin鈥� she says.

鈥淚 was trying to fit into a world I was never going to fit into 鈥� a long time ago I was advised to act like a man to get promoted.

鈥淏ut [at Qantas], I鈥檝e achieved my goal of becoming an international airline captain, and Qantas has helped me achieve that by allowing me to work with no fear or concern about how being gay might be taken by other people.鈥�

Norman adds that while Qantas 鈥渋sn鈥檛 one hundred per cent there yet鈥� in terms of complete inclusion and diversity, the company鈥檚 commitment to reach it puts it miles above other organisations, so to speak.

She says she doesn鈥檛 regret the gender biases and barriers she experienced earlier in her life, because they helped make her who she is today.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 use to see myself as a role model, but I do now,鈥� she says.

鈥淚t鈥檚 important. We have a responsibility to set up our future leaders for success, and to make it better for the next generation coming through.

鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be so different to how it鈥檚 been in the past.鈥�

When it comes to younger LGBTIQ+ people with aspirations of leading organisations, becoming pilots, or thriving in their chosen field, Norman has three succinct pieces of advice.

鈥淔ind what you love and what inspires you, because you鈥檙e going to want to do it every day and it鈥檒l get you through the hard times,鈥� she says.

鈥淏e bold and always back yourself.

鈥淎nd always be grateful for the opportunities that come your way.鈥�