Pride Month

As it's Pride Season, We want to celebrate all things inclusive to the LGBTQIA+ community. It's the perfect time to uplift and empower a group in our society that has been marginalised for so long. That's why we want to highlight many of the things organisations can do to support their LGBTQIA+ workforce and the community in general.  #Be Proud. Be Loud. 

Every Pride season is marked by a multitude of events celebrating and empowering LGBTQIA+ individuals. Pride is a reminder of all the people who fought for the recognition of LGBTQIA+ rights as human rights as well as increased freedom from harmful stereotypes, prejudices and expected social norms. 

Revolutionaries such as Marsha P.Johnson, Sylvia Rivera and Harvey Milk paved the way for the LGBTQIA+ rights movement. Their valiant protest and activism gave us the Pride celebrations we recognise and enjoy today. 

However, whilst there has indeed been progress in the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights there is still a long way to go before everyone in the LGBTQIA+ community feels accepted without exception.  

So what can an organisation do to make their LGBTQIA+ employees feel valued, respected, seen and safe?

• Company Culture: A company’s HR department plays a big role in the creation of a company culture. Making sure that employees feel that their identity is respected and that their voice is heard is immensely important. Moreover, representation starts at recruitment, prospective LGBTQIA+ employees will feel safer in a company that has a good LGBTQIA+ community within its workforce (especially in management positions) and/or a strong display of allyship from those outside the community.

• Representation and Acknowledgement: It can be as simple as hanging up a flag or giving out free stickers, pins and/or lanyards to your workforce. For an LGBTQIA+ individual, simple gestures like this indicate that the organisation they work for is accepting and supportive of a diverse range of identities - helping to inspire a greater sense of confidence and boost employee morale. 

• Promoting equality in the workforce: By making sure that your organisation supports an inclusive parental leave policy, encourages the sharing and respecting of pronouns and has facilities that are accessible to all employees regardless of their gender identity; a more inclusive work environment can be fostered. 

• Host a pride event!: Whilst Pride month is by no means the only time to visibly show support for the LGBTQIA+ community within your organisation, it can be a great opportunity to celebrate LGBTQIA+ voices and stories with a dedicated Pride event. So why not throw a party, host a charity fundraiser or take a moment to recognise your LGBTQIA+ employees.

At VERCIDA we believe that every individual has the right to a safe and welcoming work environment, and it is through a conscientious effort to remain informed and inclusive that we hope that organisations can strive to do the best for their employees no matter their race, disability, sexuality or gender identity. No person should feel that they have to hide any part of their identity in order to be accepted and treated fairly at work. 

Everyone deserves to #Be Proud. Be Loud.