We Are IH: Sending off our Pride ambassador Carl Meadows in style

Born in Prince Rupert, B.C. before growing up in Port Coquitlam, Carl was a non-conventional boy— winning awards for choreography, dance, and leading many school performance numbers before grade 6. An accomplished figure skater, Carl was notorious for doing cartwheels on the ice. 

With these differences came a lot of negative attention and unfortunately Carl was bullied all through his school years, which led to attending three different high schools and not being able to graduate as a result of his treatment. Being an openly gay man was something that wasn’t accepted readily in Canada at this time and it had a transformational effect on his life.

Carl has bravely used his experiences to forge a lifelong commitment to making the world more compassionate, including championing and celebrating 2SLGBTQIA+ contributions to the world. In 2014, Carl responded to a call to sponsor two gay Syrian refugees to come to Canada, which launched the beginning of a national charity called the Rainbow Foundation of Hope. Carl was the founding president.

Internally at IH, as well as being an RN and a health-care executive, Carl was the previous co-chair of the inaugural Employee Voices Advisory Group, our Interior Health committee to help shape and steer organizational direction to ensure diversity, equity and inclusion is present and top of mind in all decision-making.

In his home life, Carl lives in Penticton with his husband Les and their cherished dog Rocky. Carl lives a full life outside of work, which has always been colourful; as an accomplished drag performer, drag has long been a part of his life.

So Carl, tell us - what does Pride mean to you?

“Pride has been defined for me as being able to be your whole self at work.”

How have you seen Pride change over your years at Interior Health?

“I remember when Lori Motluk hired me and I was one of the first people to work at Interior Health with an announcement saying: ‘Carl Meadows comes from the lower mainland where he previously worked for Fraser Health, and he’s coming with his husband Les and his dog’. And I got a flood of responses, some from executives, telling me that they were so impressed that I had passed that invisible barrier just by identifying as gay.

“Shortly after I was asked to lead the Employee Voices Advisory Group, which works to make sure we are a diverse and inclusive community at Interior Health. This was a really proud day for me. From there I have been able to help influence and steer visible projects like the Pride-coloured crosswalks in Penticton along with our new tower at PRH, and giving staff Pride-coloured lanyards so we can all display our support. It’s really caught on, everybody is incredibly supportive and there have been so many great steps forward at IH to be more inclusive.”

How do these events marking Pride positively impact patient care for 2SLGBTQIA+ people?

“Symbolism is very important to people. It goes all the way back to the bible­— the fish was significant to Christians and they used the symbol so other Christians could find their people. So symbols like rainbow flags are incredibly powerful.

“Unfortunately the medical world has not always been kind to our 2SLGBTQIA+ community; it’s been very oppressive. And so when we see the Pride representation in flags, crosswalks, pins or whatever it may be, it demonstrates that this space is safe because somebody has put something up that tells me I’m welcome.”

What are you most proud of as you look back on your career at IH?

“I am most proud of the people. I have never felt more accepted in my life. I came from Vancouver and in the past had a manager who wouldn’t refer to Les as my husband because it was making some nurses feel uncomfortable. I was also asked in my previous life in health care to take my husband’s calls in a back room for the same reasons. This has never been my experience in recent years, so I can say confidently that the world has changed.

“At IH I have not experienced any level of discrimination or a lack of inclusiveness, and I have been around the block. Visibility is so important and seeing people elevated in positions, like in my job as an executive director, is phenomenal. And I must admit that there is no subtlety about me, I am an exploding rainbow!

“I’ve been described as a windstorm and only the strongest trees survive, which I take as a point of pride (no pun intended). And through my mentoring efforts, I have had numerous young people say that if you can be that ‘out-there and colourful’ in an executive position, that means that the world is a huge opportunity for me! This is what drives me to continue to advocate and push others to be always their whole selves every day.”

How can IH staff and patients become better allies?

“I would suggest that the new way of seeing things is not to be an ally­— be an accomplice. An accomplice is not silent.

“I would encourage people to learn about diverse communities like the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, Black community, people of colour and Indigenous communities. It’s not the minority’s job to do your homework. So quite often minorities end up getting the most ignorant questions.

“So educate yourself, be an accomplice, and more importantly, you must stand up and bring your voice as an ally or an accomplice when you’re seeing something that doesn’t align with respect, caring or trust. It’s your job to do that.”

Any parting words for us Carl?

“I’ve had the best career. I’m leaving a trail of rainbows across Interior Health [laughing] and I’ve watched dramatic change in the seven years I’ve been here! It’s been incredible!”

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