Inclusion Strategies to Better Engage Queer and Trans Immigrants and Refugees

This article previously appeared in Showcasing Diverse Voices published by WINS Canada.

Despite the many business benefits of engaging highly skilled newcomer talent pools, immigrant unemployment is a persistent issue in Canada. This challenge is particularly pronounced for those who are also members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.?

Currently, over sixty countries criminalize same-sex relationships and sexual behavior. Globally, there has been a sharp increase in activity to dehumanize and undermine the rights and security of people who are trans, nonbinary, agender or otherwise gender diverse. Canada is among fewer than fourty countries that grant asylum based on fear of persecution because of one’s sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. Canada therefore bills itself as a beacon of inclusion. But many people come to Canada as refugees and asylum seekers to escape state-sponsored homophobic, transphobic or biphobic violence only to face intense discrimination in Canada’s labour market.?

An increasing number of employers now recognize the need to move beyond performative allyship toward measurable action on diversity, equity and inclusion. For their strategies to be meaningful employers must implement good practices for the inclusion of queer and trans immigrants and refugees. They must be intentional in their actions while understanding that this group, in and of itself, is incredibly diverse. So, while the potential levers are many, there are a few practices that have been broadly proven to get results for both employers and newcomers.

Shift the focus to the needs of newcomers.

Employers often leap to training and storytelling as a way of compelling more inclusive behavior from employees born in Canada. It’s easy to understand why. Equity deserving groups often build unique strengths and skills through perseverance. Personal narratives can illustrate that well. While queer and trans immigrants and refugees often have powerful stories, there is no evidence that the practice of sharing them creates a culture of inclusion. In fact, it risks retraumatizing queer and trans newcomers and can unfairly stigmatize them as vulnerable. So, rather than leveraging the traumas of newcomer talent for an assumed benefit to Canadian-born workers, employers must centre the needs of newcomers in their strategies. The focus should be newcomers and not the curiosity of those around them. Queer and trans immigrants and refugees who are empowered to take leadership roles in the workplace may choose to share their stories on their own terms. But it should not be required.?

But what if the workplace has no newcomers??

If a workforce is not currently benefiting from the talents and skills of immigrants and refugees, it’s important to identify any barriers that may be in place. Queer and trans newcomers can face specific and layered disadvantages in hiring processes. For example, applicants who are “outed” as queer through specific experience, such as volunteering with a Pride festival, are 25% less likely to get an interview. This presents specific barriers for refugees, many of whom are directed to make connections with and volunteer for 2LSGBTQIA+ community groups upon arrival to Canada. Many hiring managers refuse to consider immigrants and refugees of all genders and orientations for xenophobic reasons, like having an accent or lacking “Canadian experience”. So, it is important for human resources professionals and hiring managers to be advised of how these biases leave out many qualified applicants. They should be aware that queer and trans newcomers also face racism, xenophobia and other forms of discrimination within queer communities and that some of the solutions they have implemented to support 2SLGBTQIA+ people may need to be re-examined.?

Ensure 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion efforts are actually inclusive.?

Many workplace inclusion initiatives are developed in collaboration with 2SLGBTQIA+ team members. But due to the underrepresentation of queer and trans newcomers in many workplaces their voices are not always present. Even when they are in the work environment, they may speak but not actually be listened to due to bias. This is troubling because effective engagement with workplace activities has been proven to be an important measure when supporting the advancement of newcomer talent in the workplace. Unlike other newcomers, many queer and trans immigrants and refugees may lack connection to their extended families or broader diasporic communities. Also, many queer and trans newcomers cite comfort with being out in the workplace and not at home or with some or all family members. It is important for employee resource groups and diversity councils to address these and other granular issues through direct engagement with queer and trans newcomers so they can inform the employer’s strategy. Having as diverse a group as possible at the planning table helps identify ways internal efforts can move forward without barriers to newcomers’ involvement. Employee resource groups should take special care not to tokenize queer and trans immigrants and refugees by only engaging them on topics related to newcomers, thus reducing them to only one facet of their identities. Immigrants and refugees are multi-dimensional with lots of professional skills. They have great ideas for other things too!

Work with immigrant and refugee serving organizations.

Another way to empower queer and trans immigrants and refugees is to partner with initiatives that are led by newcomers themselves or serve the needs of global 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. Jumpstart Refugee Talent is a refugee-led Canadian nonprofit. Its Welcome Talent Canada program helps newly settled refugees “jump start” their professional careers in Canada by hand-matching them with Canadian professionals. The program supports refugees to overcome unique barriers in the labour market and allows Canadian employers access to an incredible pool of talent that is often, and unfairly, overlooked. The Dignity Network is a pan-Canadian network of organizations that supports and promotes the human rights of queer and trans people globally. Their International Advisory Group is composed of sixteen leaders from organizations around the world working on 2SLGBTQIA+ human rights issues. These are just two examples of the many organizations with events and resources that can deepen an organization’s understanding of the various needs of queer and trans immigrants and refugees in Canada and abroad.?

Don’t just take my word for it.

This brief article compiles just a few ways employers can address barriers for queer and trans immigrants and refugees. But, as is true for any inclusion strategy, it is important to take guidance from a range of sources. I have the privilege of working with a diverse group of staff at Pride at Work Canada, half of whom were born outside of Canada. I learn from each of my colleagues every day. In fact, a few of them helped me write this article by sharing personal anecdotes as well as resources. But this proximity to newcomers in my work life does not make me an expert and it does not give me lived experience as an immigrant or refugee. Remember, the very best resources about equity-deserving groups are developed by or with members of the group being discussed.?

I encourage you to explore some of the resources I drew from for this article. If you find other helpful sources, please connect with me on LinkedIn to share them!?

Resources

Reports on Gender: The Law of Inclusion & Practices of Exclusion by the United Nations Independent Expert On Protection Against Violence And Discrimination Based On Sexual Orientation And Gender Identity

LGBTQI+ Refugees and Asylum Seekers, A Review of Research and Data Needs by Ari Shaw, Namrata Verghese | UCLA School of Law Williams Institute

Identity, Refugeeness, Belonging: Experience of Sexual Minority Refugees in Canada by Edward Ou Jin Lee and Shari Brotman | McGill School of Social Work

‘‘Other’’ Troubles: Deconstructing Perceptions and Changing Responses to Refugees in Canada by Christopher Olsen, Rowan El-Bialy, Mark Mckelvie, Peggy Rauman and Fern Brunger

SPEAK OUT! Structural Intersectionality and Anti-Oppressive Practice with LGBTQ Refugees in Canada by Edward Ou Jin Lee and Shari Brotman | Canadian Social Work Review

3 ways businesses can support LGBTQ refugees in the workplace | World Economic Forum

Serving LGBTQ Immigrants and Building Welcoming Communities | The Center for American Progress?

Organizations

Dignity Network Canada

Jumpstart - Refugee Talent

Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants

Rainbow Railroad

Rainbow Refugee?

The Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC)