Lyft Offers New App Features for Pride Month

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On Wednesday, May 29, 2019, Lyft announced new initiatives and product features as part of its ongoing commitment to inclusivity and the Hawai‘i LGBTQ+ community ahead of Pride Month (June).

Lyft is proud to be the first rideshare network to offer these gender/pronoun options in the U.S. and Canada, the company’s press release said.

As a company, Lyft places an emphasis on upholding an inclusive and diverse environment—whether it’s during a ride or at a Driver Hub. One of Lyft’s core values is to “be yourself,” and they’re proud to celebrate Pride and the LGBTQ+ community.

Pronouns in the Passenger app

Lyft will introduce pronouns to its passenger app, giving passengers the option to select between the following list. Drivers will be able to see the pronoun that the passenger has selected:

• They/Them/Theirs
• She/Her/Hers
• He/Him/His
• My pronoun isn’t listed
• Prefer not to say

Partnership with the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE)

• Name changing support for drivers: In order to support our transgender drivers, Lyft is offering free resources through National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) advising on the name change process. We are also providing $200 financial support for name change fees, executed in partnership with NCTE.

“We’re proud to give our rider communities the option to select their preferred pronouns, as well as partner with the NCTE to support our driver community during their name change process,” said Rob Mora, market manager for Lyft Hawaii. “At Lyft, one of our core values is to ‘be yourself.’ We’re incredibly excited to celebrate and acknowledge the many important eras, people, moments and events that have led to this celebration and show our support for the LGBTQ+ community.”

“Lyft played such an important part in my journey, coming full circle in helping their efforts to support the transgender community at large has been a privilege and an honor,” said Nicole Sgarlato, a Lyft employee. “I cannot express how grateful I am for taking part in this year’s Pride campaign. Lyft was one of the first job openings I applied to after starting my transition due to their values in diversity and equality. I was ecstatic when I got the job. It was the first time in my life people acknowledged my identity as a woman and accepted me for who I am. Because of Lyft’s inclusive culture, I have been able to gain confidence and strength in my identity that would not have been possible otherwise.”

“We at NCTE are so excited to be working with Lyft on this vital and innovative project,” said Mara Keisling, executive director of NCTE. “The legal name change process is an economic and bureaucratic burden on transgender people nationwide. The cost alone denies many people the human dignity of living as their true self and transgender people across the country know the pain of being forced to carry a name that is not their own. We thank Lyft for supporting its drivers in this important recognition of their humanity, their identity, and their liberty.”