We may have changed workspaces or may just be going back to the office, but diversity and inclusion always matter. When lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer, intersex, asexual, pansexual, and ally staff feels recognized and celebrated, there’s a palpable sense of joy.
Traditionally, Americans acknowledge and celebrate Pride through parades and concerts, events and workshops, panels and lectures and much more. Even if your team is remote, there are a multitude of ways to celebrate.
What does Pride commemorate? Why is it celebrated in June?
When the days grow longer and flowers bring much-needed color, the world is primed to celebrate love in all forms. June was selected for Pride because it commemorates the Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan, the catalyst for the gay rights movement of the 1960s. As a dark part of American history, gay bars were frequently raided at the time, as homosexuality was illegal in all states until 1962.
During the Stonewall Riots, police and gay rights activists clashed for six days in Greenwich Village, and activists demanded to live openly and be treated equally. In the wake of this historic uprising, many queer organizations and newspapers were founded. The very first Pride parade was in commemoration of Stonewall’s one-year anniversary, and many marches and parades have been held across America each year since then.
Diversity & Inclusion
Workplaces must honor diversity and recognize the historic and cultural significance of the gay rights movement. Particular attention should be paid to LGBTQIA+ advocates and community allies who continue this brave fight for global equality.
Human resource leaders can empower team members to be in the spotlight by encouraging those comfortable in the LGBTQIA+ community within your company to showcase photos and insights to amplify their experiences and show your organization’s support. Each diverse voice should be celebrated.
Why Pride is so Important in 2022
For many, there was a great sense of isolation during the last three years. Unfortunately, many members of the queer community have already experienced extreme isolation in their everyday lives. In many ways, the pandemic created even worse situations for many who are not accepted by their families or struggled to find healthcare and proper employment.
Pride was born out of a tremendous struggle by queer people of color to be equal in the workforce, the community and the healthcare space. Pride allows the LGBTQIA+ community to come together, and in 2022, virtual and real-time alternative spaces for Pride are much needed to feel connected.
Here are a handful of ways companies can host Pride Month celebrations for digital/remote workplaces:
Educational Opportunities
Not everyone understands the history and weight of the LGBTQIA+ rights movement. Ask leaders to learn and create educational opportunities for employees. This could involve history lessons or discussions to learn other viewpoints on queer issues. Does your organization host company-wide Lunch & Learn or all hands meetings? This is a great opportunity to not only showcase your support, but also inform and educate your employees on how to be an ally.
Swag
One of the Pride symbols is the rainbow. Have fun distributing swag in the form of rainbow flags, banners and pins. Don’t just stop at the rainbow as there are a multitude of flags for bisexuality, demisexuality, asexuality, transgender and intersex, too.
Display Pronouns
Add preferred pronouns to company communication platforms like Slack, Zoom and email signatures, i.e. he/him, she/her, they/them. Cisgender team members also can proudly declare themselves as allies of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Virtual Meeting Backgrounds
Get festive in those meetings that could have been an email by jazzing up your backgrounds! Pick pictures from Pride parades or display a supportive message.
Social media
Add Pride-themed logos, frames and filters to your corporate social media feeds. But remember, please do not require employees to change their personal social media to respect their work-life divide.
Blog post
Pick one of the people of color central to the gay rights movement and write about their life. Generate a guide to allyship or interview queer-identifying team members. Pride celebrates all forms of love, but it’s also about tolerance and fighting for equality. Use these activities to help unite your company.
Keep it clean
Honor everyone’s self-expression. Professionalism should still be at the forefront, with gender and sexual orientation being separate concepts. Focus on being PG-13 in all festivities.
Enact meaningful change
It isn’t enough to be performative anymore. The queer community recognizes hollow gestures. Company culture and corporate policies should be aligned to include and support LGBTQIA+ team members.
At ThriveDX, we continuously work to create and foster an inclusive environment for our LGBTQ+ employees, their families and allies, that not only honors authenticity, but celebrates it. We offer equal benefits for all — regardless of sexual orientation. This includes time off for parental leave and adoptions, as well as health benefits. Additionally, we have an anti-discrimination policy with clear and enforceable consequences for those who don’t comply and company-wide mandated training. Additionally, employees share their preferred pronouns on internal platforms, such as their Slack & Zoom profiles. Another way we show Pride on Slack, is by hosting ongoing conversations for ThriveDX employees who identify with the LGBTQ+ community in a private channel, or as an ally in a public channel.
Pride allows team members to have a sense of psychological safety and valued contributions to express themselves. At ThriveDX, we believe that everyone has a right to thrive.
