TechHR
ex
L&D
UNPLUGGED
Sphere
About Us • Contact Us
People Matters ANZ
People Matters Logo
Login / Signup
People Matters Logo
Login / Signup
  • Current
  • Top Stories
  • News
  • Magazine
  • Research
  • Events
  • Videos
  • Webinars
  • Podcast

© Copyright People Matters Media Pte. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

 

 

  • HotTopic
    HR Folk Talk FutureProofHR
  • Strategy
    Leadership Csuite StrategicHR EmployeeRelations BigInterview
  • Recruitment
    Employer Branding Appointments Permanent Hiring Recruitment
  • Performance
    Skilling PerformanceMgmt Compensation Benefits L&D Employee Engagement
  • Culture
    Culture Life@Work Diversity Watercooler SheMatters
  • Tech
    Technology HR Technology Funding & Investment Startups Metaverse
  • About Us
  • Advertise with us
  • Become a sponsor
  • Contact Us
  • Feedback
  • Write For Us

Follow us:

Privacy Policy • Terms of Use

© Copyright People Matters Media Pte. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

People Matters Logo
  • Current
  • Top Stories
  • News
  • Magazine
  • Research
  • Events
  • Videos
  • Webinars
  • Podcast
Login / Signup

Categories:

  • HotTopic
    HR Folk Talk FutureProofHR
  • Strategy
    Leadership Csuite StrategicHR EmployeeRelations BigInterview
  • Recruitment
    Employer Branding Appointments Permanent Hiring Recruitment
  • Performance
    Skilling PerformanceMgmt Compensation Benefits L&D Employee Engagement
  • Culture
    Culture Life@Work Diversity Watercooler SheMatters
  • Tech
    Technology HR Technology Funding & Investment Startups Metaverse
Pride Month: How to inspire LGBTQ+ allyship in the workplace

Story • 6th Jun 2023 • 3 Min Read

Pride Month: How to inspire LGBTQ+ allyship in the workplace

CultureDiversity

Author: Aloysius Navarro Aloysius Navarro
7K Reads
It's not enough to simply say you’re an LGBTQ+ ally — the world needs active commitment to support minorities and create a safer space for everyone.

Promoting inclusivity in the workplace helps to create a safer and more open environment for employees — especially for marginalised communities like the LGBTQIA+. Being inclusive means recognising and changing the culture that discriminates against minorities.

However, there’s plenty of evidence to suggest that LGBTQIA+ employees still face discrimination that often get overlooked. Discrimination can come in many forms — microaggression, exclusion and, worse, verbal harassment rooted in a collective lack of understanding of peers.

Recently, a study conducted by the Human Rights Campaign found that 46% of lesbian, gay, and bisexual employees experience discrimination, and this forces them to hide their identities at work. Meanwhile, the figure goes up to 55% for closeted transgender and nonbinary identities who fear being judged by their peers.

Another HRC study showed that 80% of straight and cisgender people think that it’s okay for LGBTQIA+ employees to come out at work. However, 59% of those people prefer to avoid conversations about sexual orientation and gender identity.

Gay and trans employees avoid coming out to their peers because of the impact it can have on their emotional and physical wellbeing. Many of them feel that their co-workers will avoid them because of their sexual orientation or gender expression — which just leaves them feeling isolated and depressed.

About a third of LGBTQIA+ employees reportedly suffered from anxiety, depression and exhaustion because of their unwelcoming working environment.

LGBTQIA+ employees also face a disparity in their wages compared to cisgendered, heterosexual workers. An analysis of thirty studies also found that male employees who identify as gay earned 11% less than heterosexual men.

What is allyship and why is it important?

Learning more about inspiring allyship in the workplace can help resolve and, at the same time, prevent these issues at work.

Allyship means actively supporting members of marginalised groups like the LGBTQIA+ and understanding their struggle. It starts when we give minorities what they really deserve — opportunities to be seen and be heard.

In the workplace, business leaders can spark conversations about allyship to make sure that no one suffers from discrimination and exclusion based on identity. 

Here are some tips on how to inspire LGBTQIA+ allyship in the workplace:

Speak up against microaggression. An HRC study found that 53% of LGBTQIA+ employees have heard derogatory lesbian and gay jokes at work. Holding your employees accountable for making microaggressive jokes shows that you care about the well-being of everyone in the team. If the power balance at work is healthy, then nobody has to worry about being shunned because of who they are.

Start conversations about equality, equity and inclusion. Learning about gender inclusive language and asking someone about their pronouns can inspire everyone in the workplace to become more open and receptive to learning about queer identity. Normalising these conversations helps to increase awareness in the workplace. Ultimately, talking about sexual orientation and gender identity expression removes unrecognised biases and stereotypes against the community.

Promote self-learning at work. It is essential to learn about the concept of intersectionality — a way of thinking that connects a person’s race, class and identity to the advantages and disadvantages they receive in life, especially in the working environment. This can help you better understand the struggles of trans people of colour at work.

Address barriers hindering self-expression. In the workplace, employers should scrutinise barriers that discriminate against LGBTQIA+ people. Barriers like the dress code and workplace arrangements should be considered by employers in order to inspire allyship at work.

Becoming an ally of the LGBTQIA+ community can inspire everyone to recognise the importance of promoting gender equality. But it's not enough to simply say you’re an ally — it should be an active commitment we make to support minorities and create a safer space for everyone.

Read More

Did you find this article helpful?


You Might Also Like

Are you facing workplace bullying?

STORY • 29th Apr 2025 • 3 Min Read

Are you facing workplace bullying?

Culture
The Glass Ceiling: Women an Uphill Battle

STORY • 17th Mar 2025 • 5 Min Read

The Glass Ceiling: Women an Uphill Battle

Learning & DevelopmentCultureDiversityLeadership Development#PowerWomen#WomenofChange
10 corporate jargons that are driving staff crazy

STORY • 10th Jan 2025 • 4 Min Read

10 corporate jargons that are driving staff crazy

Culture#HRTech#EmployeeExperience#HRCommunity
NEXT STORY: Is burnout a problem that just won't go away?

Trending Stories

  • design-thinking-hr

    Skype is dead: Did Microsoft's leadership let a billion-doll...

  • design-thinking-hr

    Keeping the C-suite in the C-suite - how do we reduce execut...

  • design-thinking-hr

    Return to office: the legalities

  • design-thinking-hr

    The trust factor: Why modern leaders can’t afford to overl...

People Matters Logo

Follow us:

Join our mailing list:

By clicking “Subscribe” button above, you are accepting our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Company:

  • About Us
  • Advertise with us
  • Become a sponsor
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Contact:

  • Contact Us
  • Feedback
  • Write For Us

© Copyright People Matters Media Pte. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Get the latest Articles, Insight, News & Trends from the world of Talent & Work. Subscribe now!
People Matters Logo

Welcome Back!

or

Enter your registered email address to login

Not a user yet? Lets get you signed up!

A 5 digit OTP has been sent to your email address.

This is so we know it's you. Haven't received it yet? Resend the email or then change your email ID.

People Matters Logo

Welcome! Let's get you signed up...

Starting with the absolulte basics.

Already a user? Go ahead and login!

A 5 digit OTP has been sent to your email address.

This is so we know it's you. Haven't received it yet? Resend the email or then change your email ID.

Let's get to know you better

We'll never share your details with anyone, pinky swear.

And lastly...

Your official designation and company name.