How to be an LGBTQIA+ ally in the workplace
Written by Jasmine Turton, Leopard Co.
June marks the beginning of Pride month, a time to celebrate and support the LGBTQIA+ community. While allyship should extend beyond this one month, Pride is a great opportunity to start, renew, or deepen your commitment.
Unfortunately, discrimination remains a serious issue with over half (53%) of LGBTQ+ employees in the UK having experienced discrimination at work, including verbal or physical abuse or social exclusion. This is unacceptable – and preventable.
Whether you’re just starting to learn how to be an LGBTQIA+ ally or want to strengthen your existing support, here are some simple yet meaningful actions you can take:
Use Inclusive Language
A great place to start is by replace words like ‘guys’ or ‘ladies and gentlemen’ with more inclusive terms like ‘folk’, ‘people’ and ‘team’. A simple change creating a kinder and more welcoming environment for those who use different pronouns1 and avoids gendered terms.
Add Pronouns Where Possible
Leading on from inclusive language, you could add your pronouns to email signatures, badges and even social media such as LinkedIn.
When cisgender² individuals include their pronouns, it reduces the pressure on others and contributes to a more inclusive culture.
Given that two in five (39%) LGBTQ+ employees still feel the need to hide their identity at work, this small gesture can be a powerful sign of support and solidarity.
A Zero-Tolerance Approach
If you witness inappropriate behaviours, speak up.
If you don’t feel comfortable addressing it directly, find out who you can report it to. In the UK, companies are legally required to have policies in place that protect LGBTQ+ employees due to The Equality Act 2010. This prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender reassignment and therefore steps are put in place to help with situations like this.
Practice it even outside of work
Being an ally shouldn’t stop when the workday ends. Keep it a constant and conscious effort in your personal life too.
Stay informed by following LGBTQIA+ voices on social media, reading books, or engaging with news and documentaries. In doing so, you deepen your understanding and equip yourself with knowledge to support the community meaningfully.
Don’t expect to be perfect
Finally, remember we’re all learning, and nobody is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes but it’s about your willingness to listen, learn, and do better. If you get it wrong, simply apologise sincerely, correct yourself, and move on.
So, to be a great LGBTQIA+ ally in the workplace introduce inclusive language, speak out about any prejudice, and continue developing a wider understanding of the community. By doing so, you can help to create an inclusive, safer and happier workplace environment.
Glossary
1 – Pronouns: the words we use to refer to someone when we are not speaking directly to them. For example, He/Him, She/Her, or They/Them. Everyone has them.
2- Cisgender: denoting or relating to a person whose gender identity corresponds with the sex registered for them at birth; not transgender.
Photo credit: Raphael Renter Raphi - Unsplash