5 Ways To Support The LGBTQ+ Community This Pride Month
June is Pride Month, a global celebration of LGBTQ+ people and the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. With the increasing visibility of the LGBTQ+ community in recent years, it would be easy think that there has been an increase in equality, too. The reality is it that it is still illegal to be LGBTQ+ in many places throughout the world. Even where it is legal, violence and discrimination is still rife.
According to a recent report by the ILGA, LGBTQIA+ rights have come to a standstill in Europe over the last year. Bloomberg’s latest investigation explores where progress has been made with regards to LGBTQ+ rights, and where those rights have been rolled back. From Nigeria to Poland, the US to Taiwan, this article is a real insight into the reality of the violence LGBTQ+ people face around the globe.
Visibility is important - after all, you cannot be what you cannot see. But, when LGBTQ+ people are given visibility without equality, without protection, they are made a target. Even well-meaning initiatives aimed at driving LGBTQ+ inclusion so often have fallen into the trap of asking LGBTQ+ people to be visible, not recognising that visibility can be dangerous and that many LGBTQ+ people are not ‘out’.
5 Top Tips For Supporting LGBTQ+ staff
Know your legal duties as a business. Within the UK, LGBTQ+ people are protected under the Equality Act, under which employers are responsible for the actions of their employees. Legally, workplaces are required to intervene in instances of harassment which include more obvious examples of prejudice such as the use of slurs, but also includes gossiping or speculating about a team member’s sexuality or gender, or asking intrusive questions. It is worth noting that complying with the Equality Act is the bare minimum businesses ought to be doing.
Listen to your LGBTQ+ staff members. This should not just be a case of listening to staff members who have disclosed that they are LGBTQ+, but also providing opportunities for anonymous dialogue or dialogue held in the strictest confidence. Hosting a drop-in Listening Session where LGBTQ+ staff members can drop in and be heard is a fantastic way to address this - we have found our clients to have found these really beneficial, particularly when offered to even more specific groups like the trans community.
Support the LGBTQ+ community beyond Pride month. Whilst June might be World Pride Month, LGBTQ+ people exist year-round, as do the barriers they face. Creating a strategy for LGBTQ+ inclusion that works to build inclusion year, round is key.
Understand that LGBTQ+ equality looks very different in each region. In many countries around the world, being LGBTQ+ is either illegal or highly stigmatised. Global businesses must create inclusion with an understanding of the legal, social & workplace context of each region. A good place to start is in Global Workplace Briefings, but also by engaging with local LGBTQ+ organisations.
Invest in specific LGBTQ+ inclusion training. Ensuring staff at all levels understand the basic tenets of inclusion, terminology and ways to support LGBTQ+ colleagues is key. At Utopia we’ve delivered a wide range of sessions, from developing LGBTQ+ inclusive policies to understanding non-binary identities. We also highly recommend the Stonewall Workplace Allies Programme, which was foundational in our journey to becoming an inclusive business. Stories are also a great way of building empathy and we would love to introduce you some of our amazing LGBTQ+ speakers.