As summer begins and the sun shines, Pride Month couldn’t have had a better welcoming. The pride movement had its first protests with the Stonewall riots in New York City, in 1969, against hate crimes and the freedom of gender and sexual orientation.
The LGBTQ+ community, which comprises gay, lesbian, transgender, queer, bisexual, and gender non-conformers, honors Pride Month to spread awareness of the prolonged oppression and create a mutually-respective atmosphere in the society.
Celebrating Pride Month in your Workspace
Your workplace should always accept people without discrimination, especially those based on gender identity or sexual orientation. While there are several anti-discrimination laws and massive public support for the movement, several businesses and workspaces compel employees to conceal their true identities to create a false impression of comfort for others.
Hence, all workplaces must accept Pride month and celebrate it with honor to show your support towards all genders and sexual orientations for all company employees. As the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on everyone, especially the LGBTQ+ community, it is even more crucial that you celebrate this occasion and appreciate their resilience to secure justice and equality.
7 Ways to Celebrate Pride Month at Your Business
Call in an LGBTQ+ Speaker
One of the best ways to address the issues and experiences of the LGBTQ+ community is by calling in an LGBTQ+ speaker. They can help educate employees about the significance of inclusivity at work.
Such motivational speakers will not only shed light on subjects most haven’t experienced before, but also inspire employees to act inclusive and to accept the LGBT community wholeheartedly. A well-versed speaker can help change the perspective of the most stringent employees as well.
Make Donations to an LGBTQ+ Organization
Donating to an LGBTQ+ charity is one of the most actionable and noble gestures a business can do. Donations can be made either via a lump sum of cash to charities dedicated to the LDBTQ+ community or match employee contributions.
You can also acquire donations by organizing a business-wide fundraiser and splitting the gatherings between several charities. If you are looking for a few in the US, here are some noteworthy mentions –
- Center for Black Equity
- Trans Lifeline
- LGBTQ Freedom Fund
- The Trevor Project
- The Marsha P. Johnson Institute
Enforce Anti-Discrimination Regulations
Take the first step by diversifying your workplace and implementing a robust inclusion strategy. This approach helps protect LGBTQ+ employees and helps enforce a civilized work culture.
A well-devised policy can help outline your business’ values. Besides, explicitly conveying such policies to the staff gives the impression that your business condemns any hate crimes.
Organize a Virtual Pride Parade
The occasion of Pride month is incomplete without the Pride parade. While COVID-19 restrictions are getting lifted, gathering employees for an in-person parade is still cumbersome. Instead, coordinate a virtual Pride parade to promote engagement and interaction between all employees despite the work from home culture.
You can ask the staff to record themselves walking down the street, wear costumes, carry banners, wear accessories or decorations, and hoist flags to add charms to the virtual parade. Stick these clips together to play for your entire team.
Workspace Decoration
Decorate your workspace using some rainbow flags or fabric banners to boost employee morale. Such vibrant colors will help employees and visitors instantly perceive that your business actively supports the LGBTQ+ community. Besides, recognizing the occasion demonstrates that you run a safe workspace where everyone can be open about themselves.
If your staff is still working from home, change your background during video conferencing and ask your employees the same. This gesture will have a similar effect to decorating the workplace, but when in a virtual meeting.
Organize Lunch and Learn Sessions
Lunch and learn sessions help employees discuss crucial topics as a team while being fun and enjoyable. Employees can either attend a live webinar or organize a virtual meeting with their colleagues to talk about the Pride movement and take a break from work.
There are several options for a topic, such as LGBTQ+ mental health issues, same-sex marriage, or gay rights across the globe. This is where a dedicated speaker can come in and lead such sessions to guide employees.
Show Support Online
Update your social media handles on different platforms to honor the LGBTQ+ Pride month. You can use catchy frames on several social media platforms or upload and share informative posts on Pride events. You can also use related hashtags in various tweets during Pride Month to show your support for the cause.
You can also print custom t-shirts related to the LGBTQ+ community and ask your employees to wear them at work. Such gestures overall can help draw customers and reinforce their faith in your brand.
Final Words
Being inclusive is one of the most significant gestures a company can implement in their workplace by promoting diversity, equality, and freedom of expression at work. Such initiatives must not be performative just to tick a few boxes, but legitimately promote inclusiveness in workplaces across all businesses. Utilize this month to learn, inform and respect your diverse staff and create an atmosphere of mutual respect.
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