# How To Create an Inclusive Workplace for LGBTQ+ Colleagues
Every June we celebrate Pride Month, an annual commemoration honoring and promoting the LGBTQ+ community, its history, and achievements. It serves as a time for awareness, advocacy, and celebration of diverse gender and sexual identities and seeks to promote equality and inclusion. It also serves as a recognition of the ongoing struggle for the LGBTQ+ community to have total acceptance and equality, and an opportunity to unite and take a stand against hate and discrimination.
Pride Month commemorates the Stonewall Riots which took place in June 1969, where LGBTQ+ individuals rioted in response to brutality against their community. These protests were a pivotal moment in the LGBTQ+ rights movement and the fight for equal rights and inclusion remains crucial in 2023.
In 2023 more anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced into state legislatures across America than any year before, and many places are becoming openly hostile toward LGBTQ+ people’s right to exist safely. While the LGBTQ+ community needs support and advocacy on a civic level, there are ways organizations and individuals can support their LGBTQ+ employees and colleagues, too.
It can be challenging as an individual, especially as a cisgender, heterosexual ally, to determine how we can be supportive and genuinely helpful to the LGBTQ+ community in a time of crisis. While we can take large-scale or civic actions, there are also smaller-scale, day-to-day actions that can make our coworkers and friends feel seen, supported, and cared for.
Related Content: LGBTQ+ Bias in the Workplace: 6 Ways to Support LGBTQ+ Employees
We asked the Propeller LGBTQ+ community to share what they need from their workplace or colleagues to feel supported, and how they’ve felt welcomed to bring their whole selves to work, in hopes of inspiring you to incorporate inclusion into your everyday actions.
# Rose Barcklow (She/Her), Consultant
“I really appreciate when I can have deep, authentic conversations with people at work. When people intentionally take time to get to know me, ask questions about my wife, and recognize that our lived experiences may be different, yet those differences are phenomenal opportunities to delve into understanding each other on a whole new level.
I immediately knew Propeller was the right place for me when I was onboarding and heard about the unique, inclusive benefits that were offered. It made me feel that Propeller walks the walk regarding creating a sense of belonging not just in words but with policies and actions.”
Related Content: How Companies Can True-Up Their LGBTQ+ Pride Allyship All Year, Every Year
# Jeff Andrews (He/Him), Propeller Alum
“Actions speak louder than words, and I think two actions are extremely impactful when it comes to encouraging LGBTQ+ people to bring their whole selves to work. The first is making space for recognizing and celebrating LGBTQ+ experiences in the workplace. I’ve deeply appreciated Propeller’s commitment to creating safe spaces for me to bring my true self to work through the Queer ERG, Queernicorns Slack channel, and various events celebrating Pride.
Second, is offering substantial support to the LGBTQ+ community through financial incentives and pro bono support. At Propeller, this is supported through our matching gift program and pro bono consulting projects. Propeller has even made measuring DEI a priority for the business by measuring diversity regularly alongside financial performance. This has further encouraged me to bring my true self to the client side — something that can be truly daunting in the field of consulting!
Lastly, seeing leaders at Propeller that are out and participate in Pride events sets a very strong example of representation for queer colleagues in leadership positions; something that is harder to see at bigger consulting firms.”
# Billy Marks (He/They), Consultant
“From a young age, I knew I was different, and I learned quickly to hide who I was out of fear of bullying or retribution. Even though I've since grown to love and accept myself as an adult, I still can default to code-switching or masking, especially in predominantly non-queer spaces or where perception matters (like in the workplace).
I feel most supported and comfortable bringing my whole self to work when I see others acknowledging their unique humanness or witnessing them opening up vulnerably about their lives. This can be as simple as letting their personality shine through, like a silly quirk or a joke that makes them laugh. Or it could be on a deeper level like speaking openly about their ups and downs or sharing a personal challenge they're working through. Acting with integrity, acknowledging emotions, and bringing their whole selves to work are signals from my colleagues that help me do the same.”
Related Content: How to Be an Effective LGBTQ+ Ally Year-Round, Not Just During Pride Month
# Renae Roemmich(She/Her), Data & Analytics Consultant
“At work, I need to know that I'm in an environment where my queerness never puts my validity, humanity, or morals into question. I love when a place of work is proactive with trainings, groups, or celebrations focused on diversity equity, and inclusion, because it makes it easier to have shared language and tools when connecting with colleagues about any of our intersectional identities.
Having a culture where it is normal for people to volunteer their pronouns also shows me in one small way that I'm working alongside people who are proactively inclusive to my trans and nonbinary coworkers. Our differences help everyone bring unique perspectives and new approaches to problem-solving, so feeling supported at work in order to bring the full breadth of my lived experience is so important to me.
Also, seeing LGBTQ+ people at work in leadership roles plays a large part in my feeling welcomed to show up authentically. I cannot emphasize enough how much representation matters. While policies are great, seeing diversity represented is even better.”
# Michael Luong (He/Him), Office Administrator
“I felt welcomed to show up authentically when I realized how much LGBTQ+ representation exists within Propeller across all geos. I remember vividly, during a work-sponsored outing, I was able to connect with LGBTQ+ colleagues and I felt like a weight was lifted off me, and that was when I could be authentically… me!”
