Honoring Pride Month
Pride Month celebrates LGBTQ+ culture, accomplishments and activism through various programs and activities nationwide. These events serve as an opportunity for the LGBTQ+ community and allies to raise awareness about issues impacting this community and to honor the lives of those who have been lost to HIV/AIDS, suicide or hate crimes.
Why is celebrating Pride important from a DEIB perspective?
Each of us deserves to exist in a world where we feel comfortable to show up as our authentic selves in all spaces, including the workplace. Recent social injustices and their impact on the lives of marginalized individuals have been illuminated over the past few years. They have shown us that there is still so much to be done to create equity and belonging, here in the U.S. and across the globe.
We’ve seen a rise in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, threatening the human rights of this community, and essentially denying their humanity. In response, many organizations have jumped on the bandwagon, using social media as a platform to articulate their organizational stance on social justice, diversity, equity and inclusion. While it is great to see some organizations use their public platform for awareness, simply saying we “value diversity” as an organization without addressing equity through inclusion is lip service at best.
What can we do to support our colleagues and/or family members who celebrate this month?
1. Lean In- Though it may not be a community we personally identify with, members of the LGBTQ+ community deserve to be treated with the same respect and dignity afforded to cis gender and/or heterosexual identifying people. Issues pertaining to human rights are the responsibility of all of us, and as allies, we must activate our allyship through advocacy for those who experience discrimination of any kind based on their gender identity and/or sexual orientation.
2. Dig Deeper- The topic of gender and sexuality have historically been viewed as taboo, but recent shifts elevating the importance of diversity have opened dialogue about LGBTQ+ experiences in the workplace. We cannot learn if we avoid these important conversations and we have to be okay with being uncomfortable. We can intentionally engage with LGBTQ+ community members to gain greater insight into their perspective, to foster a greater level of understanding for their lived experiences, and to learn meaningful ways we can offer our support.
3. Educate Ourselves- There is historical and institutional discrimination embedded deep within our nation’s past and present. We can use this month as an opportunity to educate ourselves on past laws, practices and protests that have shaped the experiences of the LGBTQ+ community within the U.S. This includes new legislation that is significantly impacting this community today.
How can we create more inclusive work environments?
1. Psychological Safety- Organizations must create space for everyone to show up as their authentic selves without fear of negative consequences. When each of us feels safe to show up, speak up and mess up, culture gets stronger, innovation flows and turnover reduces. Psychological safety produces high-performing teams that can drastically impact an organization’s success.
2. Modeling- It is not enough to say that we care about something; it must be coupled with action. When doing work in the name of DEI, there will be times when action is met with resistance for a host of reasons, but the work must continue. Leaders must be willing to stand in front of those appointed to lead DEI work and to champion initiatives through active allyship, even when it is hard. Organizational culture is cultivated through modeling from the top down and DEI is no exception.
The work of DEI is the responsibility of us all. Our most vulnerable communities need our support because we are stronger together. Though this may not be a community we personally identify with, it is important for us to broaden our understanding and embrace the LGBTQ+ community for their unique experiences and individual strengths. Hold space for them and their humanity, regardless of how they choose to identify in their personal lives in their personal lives. Set aside some time this month to reflect, learn and take an active role in moving us forward together.
I’ve been fortunate to experience the leader activation work that UpSpiral Leadership® does around diversity, awareness intelligence, and courageous civility via The Exchange program.
If you are looking to empower diverse leaders and to create a shared leadership experience for your teams, connect with us to learn more.