TBN #32
Celebrate PRIDE š
Hey friend! We are in the sixth month of June. How are you feeling about the year this far? I am energized by the warm weather and slower pace the summer season brings to my day. I am also enthused that it is Black Music Month and I am allowing myself the space to connect with old and new songs by Black artists. Iāll be sharing some of my favorites the rest of this month. Besides, who doesnāt like to listen to music?
Also, June is PRIDE month and while the rainbow merchandise may be attractive, there are several policy issues affecting the queer and trans community such as gender affirming healthcare, trans youth civil rights, and drag bans. This week, I am sharing helping information to support LGBTQIAS+ employees at work and in their search for finding LGBTQIA2S+ supportive companies.
Letās get into itā¦
WEEKLY UPDATE
CLIFF NOTES: IN CASE YOU MISSED ITā¦
This organization is helping trans women in the Peruvian capital take political power into their own hands.
āHere Is All the Evidence You Needed That Drag Bans Are About Erasing Trans Existenceā
June is Pride Month, Black Music Month, National Caribbean American Heritage Month and Alzheimerās and Brain Awareness Month. Check out the full list of heritage months and identity days on the blog.
BENTONāS BASICS: SUPPORTING LGBTQIA2S EMPLOYEES
Long story shortā¦
June is Pride Month so weāre focusing on ways to support lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex, asexual, and two-spirit (LGBTQIA2S+) folks in the workplace. Here are a few basic ways to show support this month and every month:
Review your workplace policies. Check to see if your workplace policies prohibit discrimination based on sexual and gender identity. You will also want to review what steps for accountability are in place in case someone does not adhere to these policies.
Use inclusive language and respect pronouns. Hereās a quick recap on how to use pronouns:
Share your pronouns first. For example: My name is Amber and I use she/her pronouns. What is your name and pronouns?
Use gender-neutral pronouns, like they/them/theirs, if you are unsure of someone's pronouns.
Be respectful of people's pronouns, even if they are different from the pronouns that you would typically use.
If you make a mistake, apologize and correct yourself, then move forward.
Offer employee resource groups (ERG) for LGBTQIA2S+ employees. Ask employees about their interest in joining an ERG. Utilize the wisdom from the ERGs to better support LGBTQIA2S+ employees.
Provide training to all employees. Foundational training related to LGBTQIA2S+ community should include an understanding of gender identity, sexual identity, how to use pronouns, and responding to gender-based and homophobic macro/microaggressions.
Provide access to all-gender (also known as gender neutral) restrooms. Information about accessing all-gender restrooms should be provided during onboarding and with visitors. If you are not sure if your workplace has all-gender restrooms, ask if there are plans to convert a single-gender bathroom(s) to all-gender bathroom(s).
Offer benefits. Offering benefits such as domestic partner health insurance and paid parental leave for queer and same-sex/gender couples can also demonstrate support for LGBTQIA2S+ employees.
Create a welcoming and accepting workplace culture. Promote behaviors and implement workplace practices that support LGBTQIA2S+ employees.
STUDY HALL: COMPANY RATINGS BY LGBTQ+ EMPLOYEES
According to a recent report by Glassdoor, nearly half (45%) of employed LGBTQ+ Americans say they believe being āoutā at work could hurt their careers (e.g., losing a job, not getting a promotion, not being selected for a project). Glassdoor provides company ratings by LGBTQ+ employees and allows for prospective employees to search for companies highly rated by LGBTQ+ employees.
HOMEWORK: CRUEL SUMMER
What Iām Watching šŗ: Cruel Summer is baaack.
What Iām Listening To š§: Charlie Wilson: Tiny Desk Concert.
What Iām Reading This Month š: The Color of Emotional Intelligence: Elevating Our Self and Social Awareness to Address Inequities by Farah Harris.
DANCE BREAK: FLOAT
In honor of Black Music Month, this weekās song is Janelle MonĆ”eās newly released single.
I don't dance, I just float
DOUBLE TAP: WHO IāM FOLLOWING
Them is the award-winning authority on what LGBTQ+ means today ā and tomorrow. From in-depth storytelling on the fight for LGBTQ+ rights to intimate profiles of queer cultural vanguards, itās a platform for all of the bold, stylish, and rebellious ways that LGBTQ+ people are reshaping our world every day. Check out their website for more information.
Iād love to hear from you!
What do you need to be better in work and in life? Send me a message or connect with me on social.
