Fostering An LGBTIQ+ Inclusive Workplace
For many years, members of the LGBTIQ+ community have lived in fear for simply being themselves. Even today, more than one in three LGBTQ+ youths still experience discrimination in the workplace. LGBTIQ+ related violence, suicides, and even murders are very much present in society today, reflecting the dangers LGBTIQ+ individuals face daily.
A concerted effort still needs to be put in by governments, businesses, and individuals to end such unnecessary discrimination.
June marks the 54th celebration of Pride month, commemorating the Stonewall riots of 1969 in New York City and honoring the continuing work that goes into achieving equal rights and opportunities for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ+) people.
Numerous companies and well-known brands also celebrate love, diversity, and inclusion by launching unique Pride products and collections.
However, many activists believe that authentic support means more than just pinning a rainbow flag to a building.
"Brands need to approach Pride, not as a marketing moment to sell products and profit from LGBTQ people, but as a time to loudly use their reach and influence to affirm our community and support advocacy organizations in authentic and impactful ways," said Sarah Ellis, CEO of GLAAD.
This year, as always, Pride month is dedicated to elevating the voices, celebrating the culture, and supporting the rights of LGBTIQ+ people.
The following are some ways that you or your company can positively contribute and help end discrimination:
Show your love through simple gestures
Sometimes the simplest of gestures can go a long way to heal the wounds experienced by the already bruised and battered LGBTIQ+ community. The ability to procreate and start a family is not as easy, naturally making the LGBTIQ+ more vulnerable to loneliness, exclusion, and fear of dying alone. Sending a 'Hello' text message is enough to tell your friends that they are still loved.
Attend a Pride event
Educate yourself and learn more about your LGBTIQ+ friends by attending pride events, both virtual or physical. Access could not be easier and more exciting with colorful agendas splashed all over the internet globally. Even if the content is not in your local language, follow these instructions to add machine translation capability to your browser settings. However, many pride events are already in English or may have a localization partner or strategy to cater to the broader global community of supporters.
Support an LGBTIQ+ organization
LGBTIQ+ organizations need all the support they can get. Make a special effort to explore a partnership with one and ask how the organization supports the local LGBTIQ+ community. Many LGBTIQ+ people are often marginalized both at home and the workplace. Therefore, supporting companies that can create a safe environment for everyone is essential.
Flynde is proud of its status as an equal opportunity employer, not just for LGBTIQ+, but also for the disabled and those who may feel discriminated against because of their religious beliefs, gender, or personal background. Flynde recognizes talent and individual contribution over societal labels that prohibit social progress.
Consume LGBTIQ+ content
Many streaming sites such as Netflix have a genre page for pride month that includes movies, documentaries, tv-shows and more. Watching this content is a great way to support productions that represent and tell the stories of LGBTIQ+ individuals and an excellent way to learn more about the community.
Organize a workshop or event at your workplace
If you feel that you can take your support a step further, reach out to your workplace's diversity and inclusion groups or HR and find out if you can arrange a workshop or event to educate colleagues on LGBTIQ+ issues.
Consider inviting a representative from one of the local organizations dedicated to building healthy and empowered LGBTIQ+ communities to run the workshop or event.
As the diversity representative for Flynde, I help raise awareness and support at all levels of the organization, both internally and externally. We embrace the unique skills and qualities of all employees. Our mantra speaks respect, security, accessibility for everyone in the organization.
About the Author
Gerald Lee is the Chief Marketing Officer with Flynde, a global company providing translation solutions to businesses of all sizes.
Discover the best-in-class translation solutions for your business. Trusted & certified for all languages with locations in Singapore, Switzerland & the USA. Flynde takes human translation strategies and uses advanced technologies to deliver them to our customers across our three business lines: Flynde for startups, Flynde for small businesses, and Flynde for corporations.
For more information, contact us at hello@flynde.com