Pride Month: Acceptance, Understanding and Empathy

Pride month highlights the collective quest for visibility, dignity and equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people. It also marks and celebrates the progress since the 1969 Stonewall riots. On the one-year anniversary of this historic incident, the first Pride parade was held, evolving over time into the global monthlong celebration we know today. And Pride Month remains an important rallying point for equality and against discrimination.

It’s a privilege to serve as an executive sponsor of CVS Health’s PRIDE+ Colleague Resource Group with my co-sponsor Diane O’Hara, Senior Vice President, Customer Advocacy and Insight. Together we stand with our colleagues for a more equitable society and against all forms of hate and discrimination. We celebrate Pride month, this and every month, as CVS Health remains a loud and proud ally in support of all LGBTQ+ peoples.

Moving from Tolerance to Acceptance and Beyond

While CVS Health remains steadfast in being a visible ally to the LGBTQ+ community – flying the Pride flag in front of corporate offices across the country and incorporating the Pride banner throughout our branding – it’s important to remember that this month is about more than showing support. It’s about moving the needle toward a better and more equitable world.

For generations the goal has been tolerance. While great strides have been taken in that area, I firmly believe we should be aiming much higher as a society, toward fulfilling the fundamental human need of acceptance. Noted clinical psychologist Jefferson M. Fish explained the difference in a blog entry for Psychology Today several years ago.

Why is moving from tolerance to acceptance, which drives empathy and understanding, so vital to a better society? Tolerance implies a level of “otherness” while acceptance is about togetherness. If you identify as LGBTQ+ – you are valid and you matter. The LGBTQ+ community is not separate from “us.” They are us. They are our siblings, our friends, our parents, our caregivers, our neighbors, our coworkers and our community. And, it’s no secret the LGBTQ+ community is facing challenges that touch all of us in ways we may not realize.

For example, a recent mental health survey by CVS Health and Morning Consult found that 57% of respondents who identify as LGBTQ+ expressed concerns about their own mental health, a full 20 percentage points higher compared to other respondents. Additionally, LGBTQ+ respondents were significantly less comfortable discussing their mental health with medical professionals or family members. These issues are no doubt exacerbated by the influx of anti-LGBTQ legislation that we’ve seen across the country. Why should this matter to everyone? Mental health issues can have harmful and long-lasting effects – including high psychosocial and economic costs – not only for the people directly impacted, but also for their families, schools, workplaces and communities.

Taking a Stand

At CVS Health, we’re working toward the goal of full inclusivity. We have a thriving PRIDE+ Colleague Resource Group dedicated to promoting allyship and awareness of issues faced by the LGBTQ+ community. As a leading health care company, we are particularly concerned with raising awareness of important health and social issues affecting this community.

To that end, I’m quite proud that CVS Health signed the Human Rights Campaign’s?Business Statement Opposing Anti-LGBTQ State Legislation.?This declaration is an important step toward advancing equality, but there is still much work to be done, as some of the legislation has now become law.

Advocating for Acceptance, Understanding and Empathy

During Pride Month, we celebrate the progress achieved by the LGBTQ+ community and reaffirm our support for acceptance, understanding and empathy. We believe that Pride is an ongoing movement, so we are committed to our allyship at all times, not just in June.

We’re focused on promoting a culture that accepts people for who they are and supports them in living their best and healthiest lives. For example, please read Pride Month: It’s about acceptance, my colleague Melissa’s inspiring story sharing her reflections on her transition and the support she?received at CVS Health.

I want to reiterate my personal support for the LGBTQ+ community and again say how proud I am to work for a company that takes a stand. I’ll keep lending my voice to the cause of acceptance, understanding and empathy for all peoples and urge more leaders to join me.

Read this to find a few ways we can each lend our voices to celebrate and support Pride.?