india inc. inclusive & proud

When I was 22, in my very first job out of college in 2002, I had the opportunity to travel to Brighton for a month. I had heard that Brighton was the “gay capital of England” but the phrase meant very little to me at the time. When I was there, I saw first-hand and for the first time what it could mean to live in a society where it was acceptable for a couple to display their affection for each other without having to worry about what people thought. I met and made friends with many who were gay, some openly, some not so much. This was my first experience with the LGBTQ community.

When I came back to India, I realised that there was a fairly large LGBTQ community right here in Mumbai. Although in those days it was largely underground. The one’s “in the know”, knew. Since then much has changed. I have family who have come out as lesbian or queer, I have begun to understand terms like pansexual, cis gender, pan-romantic and heteronormativity. I believed I was a “safe” person to come out to. A lot of my friends had come out to me. But lately I’ve realised, this is not enough. It is not enough to be tolerant or even accepting, we need to be Allies.

An “ally” is someone who supports LGBTQ people and equality in its many forms — both publicly and privately. Heterosexual and cisgender people can be allies as well as those within the LGBTQ community who support one another’s unique needs and struggles.

Most corporates have realised the espoused the cause of diversity, but I’m not always sure whether this is just a matter of, doing the “in” thing or from a genuine appreciation of a diverse workforce. I suspect it is more of the former. But it is a step in the right direction and gives the ones who do care a space to make companies more sensitive along with being more diverse. A report in June 2019 on corporates in India which run strong programs LGBTQ sensitisation initiatives makes me think we have begun the journey, but there is still a long way to go. As with most initiatives, the change has happened on paper, with hiring, team diversity targets and in policies. But, now we have to make the change in people, in their minds, attitudes and hearts.

It begins with language. We have to start by un-learning some of the stereotypes we’ve grown up with. He’s a pansy, she’s so “butch,” “wo na, waisa, hai”, chakka, those “kinds” of people. Some of the language we use, even today, is extremely alienating and insensitive. We must change the way we speak of and speak with people who identify within the LGBTQ community.

Learn about the community. Familiarise yourself with the right words to use. DON’T ASSUME. For a lot of us in India, this is an opportunity to change our fundamental concepts of the some of the things we take for granted. Talking about gender and sexuality as binary concepts for example Male or Female, gay or straight. Instead we must begin to understand and embrace the idea of gender and sexuality existing and being seen on a spectrum with the dichotomies on two ends and a range of different preferences between the two. Using the right pronouns, referring to individuals the way they would prefer to be addressed, and checking with them about it first. When in doubt, ask.

Another struggle for individuals, especially within corporates is separating a person’s sexuality, sexual orientation and gender expression from their performance, actions and interactions at work. While it is an important part of their identity, at work it should matter as much as a heterosexual, cis-genders preference matters as work… which is to say, very little. Beyond practical, administrative matters (like having inclusive toilets) individuals must have the same rights to equal, non-discriminatory treatment as any other employee. Too often however, this becomes the defining characteristics of all discussions about the individual. Ask the right questions. If someone has come out to you and you would like to learn more about their journey, check if they are comfortable with sharing more details. If they agree then you may ask the following:

1. My gender pronoun is she/his/her ...what do you go by?
2. Do you feel discriminated in anyway in my interactions with you or with other people in the workspace?
3. How can I support you?

Thank them for their honesty and trust in you. Always check on the confidentiality of the information and honor it.

Note: No matter how close you might be with a transgender person in your life, do not ask invasive questions about a person’s body or surgeries they may or may not have had.

As with all underrepresented communities, getting to know individuals within the community and learning about their lives and challenges helps to build individual acceptance and community support. Be ready to listen without judgement. Ask them to talk about their own experiences. Here’s an awesome video of kids speaking with International cabaret star Reuben Kaye - goes back to school to meet his toughest audience yet - a group of schoolkids!)

And finally, advocate for the community. The most important task for us in our schools, colleges, local communities and corporates is to create safe spaces for people to be who they are. Being an advocate means, not just tolerating those who maybe different, not even just accepting them but actively valuing every individual. Understanding that while everyone deserves an equal opportunity to do well, underrepresented and discriminated groups require more support and encouragement. Speak up, stand up, don’t tolerate language and attitudes that demean or undermine individuals who identify within the community.

Now that you know why you should create an LGBT-friendly workplace, let’s look at how you can go about doing it. (post credit #andrew blackman: https://business.tutsplus.com/tutorials/make-your-workplace-lgbt-friendly--cms-32756)

1. Set and Enforce Policies - The first step to having an LGBT-friendly workplace is to set up specific policies that outline your company’s position on LGBT rights.

2. Change Your Hiring Strategies  - If you've got LGBT-friendly policies, you’ve now set a baseline for welcoming LGBT employees. But what if your hiring practices are preventing people from joining in the first place?

3. Provide Training - Getting people through the door is only half the battle. What kind of working environment will your new employees find when they arrive? 

4. Support Events - Every year, there are events in countries around the world to celebrate and show support for the LGBT community. 

5. Create Networks - LGBT employee networks can be very powerful ways for workers to come together and share experiences.

6. Extend Benefits - If your employee benefits don’t treat LGBT employees equally, then they should. 

7. Speak Up - The struggle for LGBT rights is still going on, and members of the business community can have a lot of influence on that struggle by speaking out

8. Partner With Experts - Even if you've got good intentions and consider yourself an ally, you may not know enough about the LGBT community to be able to devise programs and policies by yourself.

9. Communicate - Communication is at the heart of having an LGBT-friendly workplace. You need to find effective ways of communicating the firm's commitment to inclusiveness

10. Listen & Adapt - This is perhaps the most important point of all. The struggle for LGBT equality won’t be over for a long time yet, and your policies and practices need to change with the times. 

Its easy to say, little harder to do, we are here to help, ping us for a discussion. [email protected]; [email protected] or +919930021140.