"Drag is not a common hobby for a lawyer. But without people pushing the boundaries, nothing will change," says Daniel Weiss, who has combined both
Daniel, you work professionally in the legal profession. What led you to this field (and thus to the study of law)? Was it your interest in human rights and their promotion?
Although it would certainly be a nice awareness story, no. (laughs) My university studies were actually a matter of chance. When I was still in high school, I was still aiming to study medicine. Both my parents are doctors. But you could say that fate had it differently. I failed the entrance exams for medicine and started studying biochemistry. But after a year I decided to change my field - and one of my choices was law. And because I passed the entrance exam, I went there.
Do you regret that you "traded" medicine for law?
Not at all! I really enjoyed my studies and I enjoy the work I do now. I am mainly involved in employment law and this year I am finishing my three-year traineeship and I am about to sit the bar exams.
Does your area of professional focus somehow include issues related to LGBT equality?
In general, yes. I work for a multinational company and our clients include larger companies - usually Czech branches of larger foreign corporations - for which we develop various internal guidelines that take into account the rights of LGBT employees. Czech legislation does not yet address this, whereas it is common practice abroad. So we will develop various principles applied abroad for use in the Czech Republic. It is in the hands of the employer alone what benefits beyond those legally required to be granted to its employees.
Considering that your company has its roots in Austria, I assume that the company culture there is also LGBTQ+ friendly. However, you have also worked in purely Czech law firms - did you feel any differences in this area?
On a personal level, I have to say that I'm gay and I definitely don't make a secret of it - I have everything straightened out in my head and I have nothing to be ashamed of. Plus, when I'm having a conversation with someone, I usually mention a partner if I currently have one. But I've never had a problem with my orientation in any workplace. But this is probably also due to my decision to choose employers who have a "good" impression on me from the first contact. Even in the law firm where I worked before, which was small and purely Czech, everything was fine - we all had the same status, no one disadvantaged me. But the fact is that LGBT stuff was just not a topic there. Nobody was interested in it.
In your current job, does "anyone care"?
Me! (laughs). And so does my employer. Just this spring, there was an impulse from our parent company that we could start dealing with LGBT issues in an official way in the workplace. So I started to look into diversity and inclusion issues in the workplace, and I'm now handling that agenda alongside my regular legal work. I am very happy that this has led to projects that have led to our law firm becoming a member of the Pride Business Forum and also a signatory to the Diversity Charter. The topic of diversity is still in its infancy in our firm - but that is normal in the corporate world, things just take time...
Since you work in a multinational company, have you considered moving abroad professionally? After all, the (working) environment there is, as you yourself have indicated, a bit "further" in the area of LGBT equality...
I have always longed to live abroad. But actually, I think I closed the door on myself by taking the step of going to law school. After all, I graduated in a field that is closely linked to the Czech Republic, and it's hard to apply it abroad. Maybe I could go to Brussels to work in European law... but I am not focusing on anything like that at the moment. I like Prague, it's a little foreign country right in the middle of the Czech Republic.
In your workplace, you are involved in the aforementioned diversity and inclusiveness agenda. Are you involved in LGBT activism in your personal life?
Not much nowadays, I think I was more active in the past. I participated in various events and so on, but I wouldn't call it activism at all. But in my spare time I do drag - but I do it mainly for fun and artistic enjoyment, not because I consider it some kind of "political act".
How does the image of an advocate and a drag performer go together? Are you worried that this hobby might "harm" you?
That's exactly what my parents were afraid of at first - that drag would be a burden for me. But I was convinced that I could handle any problems. So far, none have come. But if they did, I certainly wouldn't have a problem explaining it to anyone.
So even your current employer knows about your hobby?
That's right. I'm sure we can agree that drag is not exactly a common hobby for a lawyer (laughs), the legal profession in general is a fairly conservative environment. But I - just as I make no secret of the fact that I'm gay - I'm not ashamed of acting that way. I've even had a few articles published about me just in connection with my show, so it's not a problem to find out that information. I was admittedly caught off guard once at an interview when I was asked about drag - because you're not supposed to ask a potential employer about anything related to your private life - but since then I've been prepared to answer any related questions as well. And like my colleagues at my previous workplace, the current ones even come to my shows, so it's cool. Maybe I don't quite fit into a "box", but I think without people like me - that is, those who push the boundaries - nothing will change. So I'm glad I have the opportunity to do everything I enjoy, which is both advocacy and drag.
