Simple ways to make your workplace more LGBTQ inclusive

It’s Pride Month and it’s time to shower your friends from the LGBTQ community with all the love you have. You can not only extend your support in everyday life but at the workplace as well. As saddening as it may be, workplaces are one of the top places where people belonging to the LGBTQ community face ridicule or discrimination because of their sexual identity. But, with times progressing, we all can contribute towards making the workplace a safe and cooperative environment for them. Hence, here are some simple ways to make your workplace more LGBTQ inclusive.

If a person looks ‘too gay’ or ‘too straight’, don’t simply make an assumption about their identity. Firstly, if they are comfortable telling you about it, they surely will do. And if not, it’s wise to let them take their time or not ask them about it at all.

If your coworker has come out to you, the best thing you can do is to continue the conversation by asking them who their partner is. Have the same conversation you would have with a straight person. Don’t ignore or go quiet just after they came out to you. That’ll give them the impression that they need to hide it.

Asking your LGBTQ friend about their dating life can only be fun until you decide to be too nosy. Don’t ask them when they came out to their parents, how they came to know about their identity or how they have sex. It will only make them super conscious and awkward.

Don’t just go on talking about your coworker’s private life if they happen to be in the LGBTQ community. Their identity is surely a huge part of their lives but it isn’t the only thing. They don’t want to be stuck talking about their private life all the time. They don’t want to be made to feel DIFFERENT about it.

The worst thing you can do while talking to your coworker is, be ill-informed about their identity or pronouns. It’s necessary that you educate yourself with the basics of such people’s identities. Additionally, you can also show a significant amount of impact by supporting the LGBTQ community. You can always show up to pride parades and even prepare floaters to support your LGBTQ friend!