How to be an LGBTQIA+ ally in the workplace

As the colorful festivities of Pride Month end, people would slowly return from the streets back to the offices for business as usual. But what comes beyond Pride Month? How can we continue marching for LGBTQIA+ rights after June??

The struggles of the LGBTQIA+ community?

Same-sex couple Avin and Rusty wanted to be co-owners of their first car, the hard-earned fruit of their labor, but the agent told them they could not do so because co-ownership is only for married couples or straight partners.??

“At first, I thought we weren’t allowed to be co-owners of our car because we were not married, but I was shocked when I heard it was just because we’re not straight,” shared Avin, who had to tag his brother as co-owner of the car.

It’s not just the right to co-own a car that Avin and Rusty are struggling with in today’s world. Despite a strong global push, the Filipino society is still finding it hard to respect the LGBTQIA+ as equals or even as real citizens deserving of the same fundamental rights.?

“Right now, we understand that some people are not willing to accept us. And it’s okay, that’s not what we want anyway. What we want is to be respected, not just because we’re part of the LGBTQIA+ community but because we’re humans,” Avin said.?

At the very least, Avin and Rusty are lucky to have a respite at work. The couple is working as teammates under the marketing department of offshore staffing company Emapta, an organization that proudly allies itself with the LGBTQIA+ community.

But not all organizations, especially in the Philippines, are friendly to the LGBTQIA+ community. In fact, there are still a lot of stories coming from the LGBTQIA+ spectrum where candidates are being rejected just because of their gender identity or expression.?

As we end Pride Month, many of our LGBTQIA+ friends still need us to continue being an ally, especially in the workplace where a lot of discrimination can happen. Sure, joining the Pride March helps a lot, but there are actual things that we can do at work, and it doesn’t have to be grand.?

Here are the small things you can do to support the LGBTQIA+ community beyond Pride Month.?

Being better LGBTQIA+ allies???

Learn from them, educate yourself?

Destroying old stereotypes always starts with education. Learn about what LGBTQIA+ stands for and listen to their struggles. Ask an LGBTQIA+ friend about the right pronouns and the whole spectrum of gender identities and expressions that you may not understand as a straight person. There are many resources available online, and you may want to start with this primer.?

Be mindful of your words?

Thanks to the macho-feudal traditions we grew up with, many Filipinos are fond of calling LGBTQIA+ people names not knowing they are already insulting the person they are talking to. If you’re not close to a person, calling him or her by the first name would suffice, no need to call them “bakla,” “barbie,” “tibo,” or “joding.” That’s basic respect.?

Know the right pronouns?

The LGBTQIA+ spectrum is very colorful, and it pays to know the right pronouns when addressing someone from the community. Learn about gender identity and expressions, two different things that would help you understand our queer friends. For example, when a transwoman identifies herself as a woman, so it’s not appropriate to call her “bro” or “tol.”??

Don’t ask intrusive questions?

Asking someone if he is gay or if she is queer is always intrusive. Not all members of the LGBTQIA+ community are out and proud. Let them come out at their own pace and time. Remember: not all gays are flamboyant and loud. Not all lesbians dress like men. They all have different ways of expressing themselves. What we can do is to let them be and treat them with the same respect.?????????????????????????

Suggest a SOGIE workshop?

SOGIE stands for “Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression.” The LGBTQIA+ community has been pushing for a SOGIE bill for equality. While the law has yet passed the halls of Congress, what we can do as allies in the workplace is to suggest a workshop that would allow the office to learn about the LGBTQIA+ community, their struggle, and their rights.??

Creating a safe space for people who identify as different is not an easy task but is very doable. It would not even require you to do things that you are not comfortable with, knowing that we all hold different sets of beliefs and values. At the end of the day, what our LGBTQIA+ friends need is respect and empathy.?

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Emapta is an Australian-owned offshore staffing company operating in the Philippines for over a decade. We create global career opportunities by bridging Filipino professionals to industry-leading businesses around the world without the need to go abroad.??