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Award-Winning
Gender Diversity Leader,
Speaker, Writer and Consultant
Helping Organisations address challenges at the Intersection of Human Rights, Sexuality, Gender, Privilege, and Psychological Safety.
The popular phrases of Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting, along with Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (D&I), seem at first disconnected. Yet through the development of an Intentional organisational culture where the WHY the business was created shapes an outcome of belonging to inclusive organisations who want everyone to feel psychologically safe at work. Yet creating successful strategies that allow a business to thrive requires aligning all these elements.
While my experience covers all these areas, I specialise in how these areas intersect with gender. Looking at my intersectional identity as a queer woman with a transgender history who comes from a C-suite corporate background and Board Leadership experience, I use the complexity of my identity and its impact on myself and those around me to help organisations drive positive change based on experience.
The reality is that as human beings, we are so complex that we can never wholly understand another human being, so I created Acceptance without Understanding ™ to help others grasp how to educate themselves on concepts that have existed for thousands of years and not some recent phenomena. My corporate background allows me to bring One Leader with Two Genders of experience to every engagement providing a business-first lens through which I do this work.
My unique experience of gender, leadership, and corporate life allows me to bring insights to organisations that may be struggling to get it right, not always having the proper lens to see the lived experience of others from the correct perspective. This includes women and LGBTIQ+ people.
Popular Topics I help organisations with:
- What is Gender
- Language matters
- How gender impacts women
- Understanding the Transgender experience
- Views from the C suite on diversity, culture and more
- Understanding gender-based & white privilege
- Developing Intentional Cultures
- Psychological Safety and Transgender People in the workplace
- Facilitating/Hosting diversity-related events
My Vision:
Together we make the world a better place to live and thrive by being the beacon of light and hope for the LGBT+ community and others who find it difficult to accept themselves. We unleash their power through love and acceptance to allow their true colours to flourish as they become their authentic self.
Follow these links to learn more about these services;
> Consulting for Organisations.
> Need a Public Speaker for your event?
“Cynthia shared her own experiences, the importance of allyship, key points about DEI. For days after, employees shared how Cynthia impacted them with her words. Strongly recommend Cynthia as a well-versed in DEI that can speak to a broad audience with an ability to connect with all listeners.”
- Lead Diversity Practioner, Mimecast, USA
Award-Winning
My Story
One Leader, Two Genders
As a business executive & board leader, I followed the recipe for success like everyone else as the way one succeeds. Unlike Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, I did not become self-actualised. What it did actualise was the clarity of the disconnect in my life. For most of my 30+ year career, I coached others; when I coached myself, it became transformative.
I am an award-winning leader, speaker, and consultant who brings a unique lens of One Leader Two Genders of experience to help organisations solve gender diversity challenges by connecting Why they exist to an Intentional Culture that supports a Successful Strategy!
My Mission:
Helping organisations solve issues through my unique lens of one leader, two genders of experience is my What.
Using Acceptance without Understanding™ is my How.
Creating safe spaces where people feel they belong is my Why!
"Cynthia was our guest speaker at The King's Fund in honour of Trans Day of Visibility 2022 and our team is still talking about the session she led weeks later. In advance of the session, Cynthia took the time to get to know the team and understand how best she could tailor her message to make the session accessible and ensure it met our objectives and expectations. On the day itself, she was a true professional - gracious and open in the sharing of her personal story and in her invitation for questions, even staying longer to make sure that our questions were answered. Cynthia was able to open a conversation that had previously felt inaccessible and used the power of connection to stimulate learning, combat misinformation and promote acceptance. I could not be more pleased with the way the session unfolded and thoroughly recommend her services. If you're on the fence and thinking about it, don't hesitate - book her today.."
- Dana James-Edwards, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging Specialist
Acceptance without Understanding™
Learning Strategies For Diverse Cultures
From an early age, we are taught to ask why. Why is a question we ask to gain Understanding; therefore, as a society, we need to understand in order to accept. This is especially true when it comes to another person who has a diverse identity than our own.
Acceptance without Understanding teaches us to accept each other as human beings first. We do not need to understand each other’s journeys. We are all unique human beings on our own journey in life.
Start with Acceptance without Understanding
Grow to Acceptance with Understanding
- Cynthia Fortlage
Learning to live with acceptance will nurture your spirit, help you overcome personal challenges, and allow you to achieve your individual life goals as you learn to thrive in a diverse culture.
"Teaching others acceptance – it struck me her capacity of being extremely serious, assertive, decisive but warm & caring ... following her activity I'm amazed at seeing how powerful it can be to show your own vulnerability and experience to educate others. Cynthia is doing that, one conversation at a time."
- LinkedIn Employee at LinkedIn Internal Event
