May 15, 2019
I’m writing to you from Bogotá, Colombia where we have just wrapped up a three-country tour of South American business hubs: Lima, Perú; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Bogotá, Colombia.
In partnership with IBM and Fundación Iguales, a regional leader in workplace inclusion, we brought together dozens of businesses to discuss how to bring LGBT+ inclusion to life in these local contexts. That means recognizing the newness of these initiatives in the region, the powerful role that religion and social norms play in the workplace, and, most importantly, recognizing the desire of so many individuals and companies to become allies.
These businesses agree – the transgender woman in Lima is just as worthy of respect and belonging in the workplace as her counterpart in New York.
In our interconnected world, global businesses need to ensure that those policies and practices aimed at LGBT+ inclusion are incorporated into each and every locale around the globe. That’s why we at Out & Equal are revamping our global resources to incorporate more on-the-ground expertise, bi-lingual resources and more partnerships.
Later this year at Summit, we will be unveiling new toolkits developed from regional work in South America, China and India. (More information about this world class conference is available here.)
Fittingly Friday is the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOBT). You and I know that the strongest stance against bias is a proactive one for inclusion. When businesses and individuals are clear and authentic in their commitment to creating workplaces of belonging and respect, then ‘phobias’ have little space to grow.
So in that spirit, I urge you to take a moment this week and convey your commitment to inclusion – wear a button, have your company tweet its commitment to LGBT+ inclusion or simply tell your story as an ally or LGBT+ person.
Thank you! Together we are building a more inclusive world. Estamos construyendo un mundo más inclusivo.
Deena Fidas
Managing Director of Global Stakeholder Engagement
Out & Equal
