ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Morgana Bailey - Human resources professional
A human resources activist, Morgana Bailey wants to see the diversity of society reflected in the workplace, and employees of all walks of life feel comfortable being open about who they are.

Why you should listen

“I am in human resources, a profession that works to welcome, connect and encourage the development of employees,” says Morgana Bailey. At State Street, she directs the Global Human Resources data management team, which maintains data records for the company’s approximately 29,000 employees. Morgana collaborates with people across State Street as corporate policies, regulatory requirements and related employee data requirements continually evolve. Her career experiences have confirmed that the only constant is change, and one’s ability — or inability — to adapt can generate profound long-term outcomes.

At TED@StateStreet, Morgana Bailey revealed a part of herself that she had kept supressed for 16 years. She hopes that her openness will inspire others to stop hiding, and be open about who they are in both their personal and professional lives.

More profile about the speaker
Morgana Bailey | Speaker | TED.com
TED@State Street London

Morgana Bailey: The danger of hiding who you are

Morgana Bailey: O perigo de agochar quen es

Filmed:
3,050,914 views

Morgana Bailey pasou 16 anos agochando o seu ser verdadeiro. Nunha charla valente, menciona catro palabras que para algúns poden parecer pouco importantes, pero que para ela foron paralizantes. Por que falar sen reservas? Porque se decatou de que o seu silencio ten consecuencias persoais, profesionais e sociais. Perante un público formado polos seus propios compañeiros de traballo, reflexiona sobre o que supón o medo ao xuízo alleo, e como iso afecta o noso propio xuízo.
- Human resources professional
A human resources activist, Morgana Bailey wants to see the diversity of society reflected in the workplace, and employees of all walks of life feel comfortable being open about who they are. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:13
When I was young,
I prided myself as a nonconformist
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De nova, estaba orgullosa
de ser unha inconformista
00:17
in the conservative
U.S. state I live in, Kansas.
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no estado conservador en que vivo, Kansas.
00:22
I didn't follow along with the crowd.
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Non imitaba os demais.
00:24
I wasn't afraid to try
weird clothing trends or hairstyles.
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Non tiña medo de levar
roupa ou peiteados raros.
Era sinceira e moi sociable.
00:28
I was outspoken and extremely social.
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00:31
Even these pictures and postcards
of my London semester abroad 16 years ago
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Nestas fotos e postais do meu semestre
en Londres, hai 16 anos
00:38
show that I obviously didn't care
if I was perceived as weird or different.
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pódese ver que non me importaba
se pensaban que era rara ou diferente.
00:44
(Laughter)
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(Risas)
00:46
But that same year
I was in London, 16 years ago,
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Mais nese ano en Londres, hai 16 anos,
descubrín algo de min
que era de algunha forma único,
00:51
I realized something about myself
that actually was somewhat unique,
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00:56
and that changed everything.
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e iso o cambiou todo.
Convertinme no contrario
do que pensaba que era.
01:01
I became the opposite
of who I thought I once was.
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01:05
I stayed in my room
instead of socializing.
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Quedaba no meu cuarto
en vez de quedar coa xente.
01:08
I stopped engaging in clubs
and leadership activities.
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Deixei os clubes
e as actividades de liderado.
Xa non quería destacar.
01:12
I didn't want to stand out
in the crowd anymore.
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01:16
I told myself it was because
I was growing up and maturing,
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Díxenme a min mesma que era
porque estaba medrando e madurando
e non que estaba en busca de aceptación.
01:20
not that I was suddenly
looking for acceptance.
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Sempre pensei que era inmune
á necesidade de aceptación.
01:23
I had always assumed I was immune
to needing acceptance.
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Despois de todo,
non era unha persoa convencional.
01:26
After all, I was a bit unconventional.
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01:29
But I realize now
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Mais agora decátome
01:31
that the moment I realized
something was different about me
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de que cando vin que tiña algo diferente
foi cando empecei a me agochar.
01:35
was the exact same moment
that I began conforming and hiding.
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01:41
Hiding is a progressive habit,
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Agocharse é algo progresivo,
xa que unha vez que empezas,
01:44
and once you start hiding,
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cada vez é máis difícil
saír do escondedoiro.
01:45
it becomes harder and harder
to step forward and speak out.
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01:51
In fact, even now,
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E incluso agora,
01:53
when I was talking to people
about what this talk was about,
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cando falei coa xente
sobre esta charla,
01:57
I made up a cover story
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inventei outra historia,
01:59
and I even hid the truth
about my TED Talk.
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e non lles contei a verdade
sobre a miña charla TED.
02:04
So it is fitting and scary
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Dáme satisfacción e medo á vez
02:09
that I have returned
to this city 16 years later
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voltar a esta cidade 16 anos máis tarde
e escoller este escenario
para me deixar de esconder.
02:13
and I have chosen this stage
to finally stop hiding.
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02:20
What have I been hiding
for 16 years?
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Que estiven ocultando durante 16 anos?
02:26
I am a lesbian.
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Son lesbiana.
(Aplauso)
02:29
(Applause)
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02:45
Thank you.
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Grazas.
02:48
I've struggled to say those words,
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Custoume moito dicir estas palabras
porque non quería que me definisen.
02:50
because I didn't want
to be defined by them.
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02:53
Every time I would think
about coming out in the past,
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Cada vez que no pasado
imaxinaba saír do armario,
02:56
I would think to myself,
but I just want to be known as Morgana,
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pensaba que só quería
que me coñecesen como Morgana,
só Morgana,
03:01
uniquely Morgana,
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non "Morgana, a miña amiga lesbiana",
ou "a miña compañeira gai Morgana".
03:03
but not "my lesbian friend Morgana,"
or "my gay coworker Morgana."
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03:08
Just Morgana.
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Só Morgana.
03:10
For those of you from large
metropolitan areas,
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Para quen sodes de grandes cidades,
03:14
this may not seem like a big deal to you.
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isto pódevos parecer unha parvada.
Pode parecer estraño
que escondese a verdade
03:16
It may seem strange
that I have suppressed the truth
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03:19
and hidden this for so long.
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durante tanto tempo.
03:23
But I was paralyzed by my fear
of not being accepted.
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Mais o medo a non ser aceptada
paralizábame.
03:28
And I'm not alone, of course.
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E sei que non estou soa.
Un estudo de Deloitte do 2013
mostra que moitísima xente
03:31
A 2013 Deloitte study found
that a surprisingly large number of people
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03:36
hide aspects of their identity.
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esconde partes da súa identidade.
03:39
Of all the employees they surveyed,
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De todólos empregados que entrevistaron,
o 61% dixo que cambia aspectos
do seu comportamento ou aparencia
03:41
61 percent reported changing an aspect
of their behavior or their appearance
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para ser aceptado no traballo.
03:47
in order to fit in at work.
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03:49
Of all the gay, lesbian
and bisexual employees,
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De todos os empregados
homosexuais e bisexuais,
03:54
83 percent admitted to changing
some aspects of themselves
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o 83% dixeron que cambian aspectos
para non parecer
"gais de máis" no traballo.
03:59
so they would not
appear at work "too gay."
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04:04
The study found that even in companies
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O estudo mostra que incluso nas empresas
con políticas de diversidade
e programas de inclusión,
04:07
with diversity policies
and inclusion programs,
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os empregados loitan
por seren eles mesmos no traballo,
04:11
employees struggle
to be themselves at work
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pois cren que a conformidade é importante
04:14
because they believe
conformity is critical
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04:16
to their long-term career advancement.
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para progresar
na súa carreira a longo prazo.
04:20
And while I was surprised
that so many people just like me
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Aínda que me asombrei
de que tanta xente coma min
gaste moita enerxía intentando ocultarse,
04:25
waste so much energy
trying to hide themselves,
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04:29
I was scared when I discovered
that my silence
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tiña medo cando descubrín
que o meu silencio
ten consecuencias de vida ou morte
e repercusións sociais a longo prazo.
04:33
has life-or-death consequences
and long-term social repercussions.
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Doce anos:
04:41
Twelve years:
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04:43
the length by which
life expectancy is shortened
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O tempo no que se acurta
a esperanza de vida
04:46
for gay, lesbian and bisexual people
in highly anti-gay communities
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dos bisexuais e homosexuais
nas comunidades homófobas
en comparación coas que non o son.
04:53
compared to accepting communities.
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12 anos menos de esperanza de vida.
04:56
Twelve years reduced life expectancy.
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Cando lín isto na revista The Advocate
05:01
When I read that in The Advocate
magazine this year,
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deime conta de que non podía
seguirme escondendo.
05:04
I realized I could no longer
afford to keep silent.
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Os efectos combinados do estrés persoal
e os estigmas sociais son mortais.
05:08
The effects of personal stress and
social stigmas are a deadly combination.
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O estudo mostra que os gais
en comunidades homófobas
05:16
The study found that gays
in anti-gay communities
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05:19
had higher rates of heart disease,
violence and suicide.
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son máis propensos a doenzas cardíacas,
violencia e suicidio.
05:25
What I once thought
was simply a personal matter
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O que nun principio vía
como un asunto persoal,
decateime de que tiña un efecto dominó
05:29
I realized had a ripple effect
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05:31
that went into the workplace
and out into the community
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que ía do traballo á comunidade
05:33
for every story just like mine.
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en todas as historias coma a miña.
05:37
My choice to hide
and not share who I really am
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A elección de me esconder
e non revelar a miña propia identidade
05:41
may have inadvertently contributed
to this exact same environment
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contribuía sen querer a esta atmosfera
05:45
and atmosphere of discrimination.
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de discriminación.
05:48
I'd always told myself
there's no reason to share that I was gay,
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Sempre pensei que non tiña
por que dicir que era lesbiana
05:53
but the idea that my silence
has social consequences
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mais a idea de que o meu silencio
ten consecuencias sociais,
05:57
was really driven home this year
when I missed an opportunity
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fíxose realmente evidente
cando perdín unha oportunidade
06:02
to change the atmosphere of discrimination
in my own home state of Kansas.
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de cambiar a atmosfera de discriminación
de Kansas, o meu estado natal.
06:08
In February, the Kansas House of
Representatives brought up a bill for vote
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En febreiro, a Cámara de Representantes
de Kansas
sacou unha proposta a votación
que permitiría
06:13
that would have essentially
allowed businesses
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06:16
to use religious freedom as a reason
to deny gays services.
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usar a liberdade relixiosa como razón
para negar servizos a homosexuais.
06:25
A former coworker and friend of mine
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O pai dunha excompañeira e amiga
06:28
has a father who serves
in the Kansas House of Representatives.
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forma parte da Cámara de Representantes.
Votou a favor da proposta,
06:33
He voted in favor of the bill,
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06:38
in favor of a law that would allow
businesses to not serve me.
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a favor dunha lei que permitiría
que as empresas non me atendan
06:46
How does my friend feel
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Que pensa a miña amiga
06:48
about lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,
queer and questioning people?
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sobre lesbianas, gais, bisexuais,
transexuais e intersexuais?
06:53
How does her father feel?
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Que pensa o seu pai?
06:56
I don't know, because I was never honest
with them about who I am.
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Non o sei, porque nunca lles dixen
quen son en realidade.
07:02
And that shakes me to the core.
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E iso dáme arrepíos.
07:05
What if I had told her my story years ago?
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Que pasaría se lle contara todo hai anos?
07:09
Could she have told
her father my experience?
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Podería ela contarlle
a miña experiencia ao seu pai?
07:11
Could I have ultimately
helped change his vote?
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Axudaría iso a cambiar o seu voto?
07:16
I will never know,
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Nunca o saberei,
07:19
and that made me realize
I had done nothing
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e con iso decateime de que non fixen nada
07:23
to try to make a difference.
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para intentar cambiar as cousas.
07:27
How ironic that I work
in human resources,
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É irónico saber que traballo
en recursos humanos,
07:31
a profession that works to welcome,
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unha profesión para dar a benvida,
07:33
connect and encourage
the development of employees,
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apoiar e motivar o desenvolvemento
dos traballadores,
07:37
a profession that advocates
that the diversity of society
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unha profesión que avoga
por que a diversidade social
07:40
should be reflected in the workplace,
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se vexa reflectida no centro de traballo,
07:43
and yet I have done nothing
to advocate for diversity.
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e aínda así, non fixen nada
para avogar pola diversidade.
07:48
When I came to this company one year ago,
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Cando cheguei a esta empresa, hai un ano,
07:51
I thought to myself, this company
has anti-discrimination policies
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pensei: esta empresa ten políticas
contra a discriminación
07:56
that protect gay, lesbian,
bisexual and transgender people.
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que protexen as persoas LGTB.
08:00
Their commitment to diversity is evident
through their global inclusion programs.
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O seu compromiso coa diversidade
é evidente
nos seus programas de inclusión global.
08:06
When I walk through the doors
of this company, I will finally come out.
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Cando entre nesta empresa,
sairei por fin do armario.
08:12
But I didn't.
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Pero non o fixen.
08:14
Instead of taking advantage
of the opportunity,
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No canto de aproveitar a oportunidade,
08:18
I did nothing.
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non fixen nada.
08:31
(Applause)
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(Aplauso)
08:39
When I was looking through
my London journal and scrapbook
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Ao revisar o meu diario
e o meu álbum de recortes
08:43
from my London semester
abroad 16 years ago,
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do meu semestre en Londres, hai 16 anos,
08:46
I came across this modified quote
from Toni Morrison's book, "Paradise."
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encontrei esta cita modificada do libro
de Toni Morrison, Paradise.
08:53
"There are more scary things
inside than outside."
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"Hai cousas máis cousas que dan medo
dentro que fóra".
08:57
And then I wrote a note
to myself at the bottom:
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E eu escribín unha nota debaixo:
09:01
"Remember this."
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"Acórdate disto".
09:03
I'm sure I was trying to encourage myself
to get out and explore London,
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Estou segura de que intentaba animarme
para saír e explorar Londres,
09:08
but the message I missed was the need
to start exploring and embracing myself.
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mais a mensaxe que perdín foi a necesidade
de comezar a explorar e a quererme.
09:15
What I didn't realize
until all these years later
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Do que non me dei conta
até moitos anos despois
09:19
is that the biggest obstacles
I will ever have to overcome
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é de que os obstáculos máis grandes
que vou ter que enfrontar
09:24
are my own fears and insecurities.
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son os meus propios medos e inseguridades.
09:28
I believe that by facing my fears inside,
I will be able to change reality outside.
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Creo que se loito
contra os meus medos internos,
poderei cambiar a realidade exterior.
09:37
I made a choice today
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Hoxe fixen unha elección
09:39
to reveal a part of myself
that I have hidden for too long.
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para mostrar unha parte de min
que estivo demasiado tempo oculta.
09:46
I hope that this means
I will never hide again,
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Espero que isto signifique
que nunca me hei volver esconder,
09:50
and I hope that by coming out today,
I can do something to change the data
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e espero que dicindo hoxe quen son
poida facer algo para cambiar as cousas
09:57
and also to help others who feel different
be more themselves and more fulfilled
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e para animar aos que se senten diferentes
a que sexan eles mesmos
10:03
in both their professional
and personal lives.
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tanto na súa vida profesional
coma persoal.
10:08
Thank you.
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Grazas.
10:11
(Applause)
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(Aplauso)
Translated by David Vázquez Costas
Reviewed by Xusto Rodriguez

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Morgana Bailey - Human resources professional
A human resources activist, Morgana Bailey wants to see the diversity of society reflected in the workplace, and employees of all walks of life feel comfortable being open about who they are.

Why you should listen

“I am in human resources, a profession that works to welcome, connect and encourage the development of employees,” says Morgana Bailey. At State Street, she directs the Global Human Resources data management team, which maintains data records for the company’s approximately 29,000 employees. Morgana collaborates with people across State Street as corporate policies, regulatory requirements and related employee data requirements continually evolve. Her career experiences have confirmed that the only constant is change, and one’s ability — or inability — to adapt can generate profound long-term outcomes.

At TED@StateStreet, Morgana Bailey revealed a part of herself that she had kept supressed for 16 years. She hopes that her openness will inspire others to stop hiding, and be open about who they are in both their personal and professional lives.

More profile about the speaker
Morgana Bailey | Speaker | TED.com