Pride Conversations We Need to Continue to Have.

June marks Pride Month. And every year, we continue to see the same charade unfold. Companies change their logos to include the pride flag, they mention it once or twice during the month and hold special offers and ‘sales.’ When the month is over, they tuck all of this away until June of the next year.

We must understand that Pride Month is not about sales and rainbows and being ‘out and proud’. It is about real people and their lives. It is about their stories and their struggles with identity and relationships. Pride is something that is deeply personal. Pride is about those who wish to live openly and crave the acceptance of the people around them. Unfortunately, being queer in a lot of countries and cultures often threaten the lives of people. This causes them to hide such an important part of the human experience - who they choose to love. This often leads to mental health struggles for many of these people, most of which go ignored because they are never brought to light in the first place.

When we go to work, we can only truly do our best when we stay true to who we are. This is what corporations need to work towards - creating environments where employees feel like they can be ‘themselves’, whatever it may mean for them.

Here are some ways in which companies can step away from the ‘appearance’ of being supportive of the LGBTQ+ community and truly support them.

Has your company adopted a gender-neutral mentality?

The He/She/Them pronouns have been around for many years now, and it still continues to be something that people truly struggle with. We are so used to addressing each other as he/she and having to address someone as they/them is something we rarely do. Platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram and other social media have now modified their systems to add pronouns in order to clarify how a particular individual would like to be addressed. We need to encourage this in the workplace itself. These things can only be normalized when they are put into practice. In many company policies, only he/she has been mentioned. It is high time this is changed to include They/them.

?Are you training employees to be respectful?

Every employee comes from a different religious, cultural, and social background. Some of these differences are bound to create prejudice against people in the LGBTQ+ community. Every workplace must be a safe space for an employee, and as a company, it is essential that workplace-appropriate behavior is encouraged. Are employees educated enough about the LGBTQ+ community? Are they taught to be extremely respectful of themselves and their beliefs? Is strict action being taken against slander and other hateful and harmful acts? Only when employees see such positive and supportive changes being made will they truly believe in the ideas that companies portray.

? Are you using your voice and platform to support LGBTQ+?

I do not mean that you do this only during Pride month. This is something that must be done throughout the year. Use your platform to talk about these issues, talk about discrimination and talk about what is lacking. Then use your platform to provide solutions for the same. Promote activities and causes that support the LGBTQ+. Support organizations and companies that promote these causes and require your help. Instead of expecting everyone to follow unwritten rules of acceptance and support, create written policies that make your stance clear – that you have a zero-tolerance policy for homophobia, transphobia, and any other forms of discrimination.

? Is your company truly inclusive?

Are your company policies truly inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community? Adopt diverse hiring practices across your entire organization, including upper management. When you advertise open positions in your organization, make it clear that your business welcomes applicants from all communities, including the LGBTQ+ community. Create channels of open communication where employees feel like their concerns are being taken seriously. An LGBTQ+ resource group can also serve as a safe and supportive environment.

?The above are just a few thoughts that I had, I am sure there’s a lot that can be thought through further.

?However, above everything else, we must focus on the fact that regardless of our sexual orientation, colour, race, caste, or creed, we all are human. The sexual orientation of an individual has nothing to do with how good we will be at work. Infact, diverse teams and diverse leadership are the need of the hour. It is only when we take the time to educate employees about respect and understanding in general, will we truly see a change in society.

?Happy to hear your thoughts on these lines.