October is National Bullying Prevention month and October 9, 2024, is National Anti-Bullying Day. We are pleased to share this article from guest writer JB Mayfield, an advocate for workplace inclusivity.
by JB Mayfield
The common narrative we hear is that the LGBTQ+ community has already reached an acceptable point of equality and visibility. However, discrimination is still a significant challenge faced by queer people everywhere. Despite huge leaps forward in acceptance and rights, a study by the Williams Institute at the University of California found that one in 10 queer individuals still faced workplace harassment. This includes bullying, prejudice, bias, and even threats of violence.
Bigotry and prejudice remain rampant in spaces where individuals should be able to focus on their work without navigating negative social interactions and potentially harmful situations. The onus is on leadership to foster a supportive environment and steer workplace culture to a place where queer employees can thrive. There are a few meaningful steps that both leaders and fellow employees can take to show support and solidarity.
Creating gender sensitivity with guidance
Education is at the root of stemming this problem. While it’s important to confront deliberate acts of bigotry as well, many people do not necessarily come from a place of malice and can benefit from education and awareness. Microaggressions have become normalized as ignorance is passed on from generation to generation. While surveys show that almost one-third of surveyed queer employees say they’ve experienced microaggressions, research shows that witnesses or perpetrators of microaggressions are not likely to call it what is because they don’t see what was wrong.
This shows the presence of prejudice but indicates it is not noticed by those unaffected by it. Leaders can take steps for LGBTQ+ and other marginalized groups by creating training programs and providing educational materials. By diving into gender sensitivity and the nuances of this subject, leaders can forge a clearer path to queer-friendly workplace culture. These lessons can shed light on anti-discriminatory guidelines, significant moments in queer history, and hands-on ways to be more aware of the queer experience and identity.
Establishing policies for LGBTQ+ equality
Change may not happen overnight, but tangible support often comes in the form of policy. Of all Fortune 500 companies, only 60% have engagement and outreach to the LGBTQ+ community despite more than 90% having sexual orientation and gender identity nondiscrimination policies in place.
It’s worth looking into whether these policies actually use clear wording and cover all aspects of prejudice against queer people. Furthermore, there is a need to reconsider if existing policies are up-to-date with the current standards for inclusivity. Are there actual guidelines in place for proper allyship? Are there protective measures for queer employees facing a breach of these policies? The best policies are the ones that don’t have loopholes for bigotry to go under the radar.
Even those in non-leadership roles can take strides toward greater inclusivity by taking small but meaningful steps, such as normalizing pronouns and celebrating Pride.
Advocate for visibility
For true solidarity, allies cannot just presume what queer people need. One of the best things leaders and co-workers can do is advocate for visibility. Queer people should be able to let their own voice be heard in terms of their workplace experience. On top of this, there must be space for queer employees to have meaningful opportunities and tackle any existing practices that could be restrictive and discriminatory.
Part of this visibility is making room for queer employees to showcase their strengths without a divide. As they rise up the ranks, it becomes easier to enact change. Gender expression is also an area of concern. McKinsey & Company reports that trans employees and women in the LGBTQ+ spectrum feel isolated from one another, resulting in lower motivation and restrictions in career progression. As such, advocating for visibility also means showing the negatives that need to be addressed.
In the United States, statistics are showing a worrying trend of growing hate crimes. For instance, in 2019, the country saw an all-time high of criminality, particularly against LGBTQ+, Jewish, Hispanic, Black, and Asian individuals. More recently, the FBI shared that while overall violent crime dipped in 2023, the rate of hate crimes rose by 2%. Sexism and racism often go hand in hand with homophobia, meaning many of these hate crimes target minority groups in various settings, including work. With continued education and awareness, we can make more progress in creating inclusive environments for LGBTQ+ individuals where they can advance in their careers and be free from workplace bullying.
Written exclusively for stangreensponcenter.org by JB Mayfield. Photo by Alexander Grey from Unsplash.com
