Harin Silva

Written By Alicia Byrne

A childhood channel choice in his home country of Sri Lanka was a turning point for Rail Projects Victoria’s Harin Silva.

Growing up as a boy who knew he was ‘different’ by his community’s standards he was drawn to Australia in much the same way a generation of British tourists has been – through one of the nation’s longest running soaps.

“I remember watching Neighbours a long time ago and seeing a gay or flamboyant character and going ‘that’s where I want to be’,” he says. “I remember thinking ‘I need to get to Australia’.”

Now working as a design manager at Rail Projects Victoria, it’s been a long journey from asking to go to an international school in Sri Lanka before packing up and moving to Melbourne for university.

“My aim – inspired by Neighbours - was to get to Australia and live as an openly gay man, something that’s illegal and frowned upon in Sri Lanka and can result in you being ostracised by your family.”

Staying ‘in the closet’ and not dating anyone was a choice Harin made to safeguard himself until he was able to graduate, get a job, and gain citizenship. It was a choice made so that if his parents did disown him, he would still have a home and that home would be Australia.

Years down the track – and with the support of his parents - Harin has found himself with Australian citizenship, living his best life with a fiancé and a great job at RPV.

In his role with the Airport Rail project, he’s developing designs for the Rail Systems team. Harin is also making the most of the opportunity to both be a mentor and have a mentor.

Embracing his new workplace and the support it provides for him to be himself at work, Harin was quick to join the Trainbow Pride group on arriving at RPV.

“When I first started, I got an email from Jake Welsh, the Inclusion and Diversity Officer, and I thought it would be great to join the group. We’ve had a few events and I’m hoping we can drive up participation – it can be hard because everyone’s so busy with the projects.

“The group is especially important for younger people to let them know they can bring their true self to work.”

Harin says Trainbow Pride shows an overt representation of support to the LGBTI+ community and its allies at RPV.

The popularity of rainbow lanyards around the organisation is another positive.

“These rainbow lanyards make a difference. I tried wearing one in another organisation where they said you had to wear the generic staff one. I didn’t understand that. Your pass says where you are from. The lanyard has no meaning other than what it means to the individual.

“I wear the rainbow lanyard in support of the LGBTI community and I have the pronoun badge, also provided by RPV, as an indication that if your pronouns aren’t obvious, I’m okay with that. I appreciate that and I’m happy to call you by the pronouns you prefer, not the pronouns society would like to call you.

“If you choose not to wear a rainbow lanyard or pronoun badge, that’s okay too, provided the choice not to wear it isn’t a protest.”

While many are influenced by an organisation’s open support for diversity, Harin says it’s important to join a company for the right reasons – it needs to be a place you can enjoy fulfilling work as well as a supportive environment.

“I believe the world is a far better place than it was before where no one should stop you from following your passion irrespective of your sexual preferences. I understand that this is not the case in every organisation.

“My advice is always to think about what you aspire to career-wise. If the stars line up and your passion is to work at an organisation like RPV, Eureka!

“I’d recommend people join RPV because it has great career opportunities, but at the back of your mind, do your research on our LGBTI policies. We are government and that means your rights are protected.

“Nobody’s going to stop you at RPV because you’re gay.”