As the forever fabulous diva, Donna Summer, once sang, “I’m coming out! I want the world to know!… I’ve got to show the world all that I wanna be and all my abilities.”
Today is National Coming Out Day which raises awareness for the LGBT community and it’s supporters. It’s the perfect time to reflect on how organizations and businesses have made steps toward diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Here are 5 mentions that will inspire you to make an impact:
PRIDE@APPLE – During Gay Pride 2016, Apple surprised employees with a one-of-a-kind rainbow Apple Watch band in support of their LGBT employees and Gay Pride around the world. This might be the most colorful and meaningful employee swag I’ve seen to date!
LGBT at IBM – IBM has a dedicated LGBT Facebook page for their IBMers. This is a great way to celebrate diversity using social media, while also using their global voice to continue being a role model for other companies to be inspired by. IBM has shown support for their LGBT employees, and overall diversity and inclusion, for decades. The FB page is only one of many, many fantastic initiatives.
Google Gayglers – As I’m sure you already know, Google has been focusing on diversity & inclusion from the start. In fact, they already have a gaggle of employee affinity groups, one of which are the Google Gayglers. How fun is that name?! A dedicated Twitter hashtag has kept their message strong while giving a channel for Gayglers to share their voices with the world.
photo credit: @VerveLiveAgency via Twitter
Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) – Perhaps one the most powerful ways that the education system can support students, particularly teens, is by forming and supporting a GSA group or “club” at their local schools. This is a great way to teach our youth how to become advocates for anything they feel strongly about. In high school, I was proud to be a member of our GSA and eventually became President for a year. There are dozens of resources available to get started and to keep momentum going year after year. If you are an educator or a parent please take action or continue supporting if you already are.
Take the First Steps – You don’t have to be part of a large corporate entity to get the ball rolling. Many startups and small businesses don’t have the means to invest financial resources to support their LBGT employees. Start with the basics. Educate employees and create discussions about diversity and inclusion. Take advantage of Pride Month and Coming Out Day to create some fun “edutainment”. A simple email blast or happy hour with a guest speaker can go a long way.
An article like this from The Muse’s Ariana Barreto is the perfect way to start the conversation: 5 Things Your LGBTQ Co-Workers Wish You Knew.
