Since June of 1970, the first anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, LGBTQ+ Pride Month has become an annual testament to the collective power our community holds, acting as a visible moment to elevate, celebrate, and uplift the LGBTQ+ community. It has served as a reminder of the challenges met and overcome, the progress made, and the work and opportunities ahead.
The LGBTQ+ community is known for its resilience and ability to find joy even in the most difficult times. That sentiment rings as true today as ever. In the face of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, rhetoric that seeks to demean, and actions that aim to erase, the community refuses to be pushed backward. Instead, the community stands proudly, perseveres, and continues pushing forward.
This year is the moment to Radiate Pride.
It is the moment for members of the community and allies alike to say proudly and wholeheartedly, “We are here!” 2024 demands it. It demands we show that progress in the form of workplace inclusion for LGBTQ+ talent—and all historically overlooked and/or marginalized talent—cannot be up for debate, let alone stalled or stopped.
And to ensure that progress toward greater and lasting LGBTQ+ equity in our workplaces and around the world is realized in measurable and lasting ways, the celebrations, support, and calls to action must continue beyond June.
Allies must leverage their individual influence and radiate unwavering confidence and determination in their commitment to progress. This means taking bold and decisive action, which includes seeking out and providing coaching, mentorship, and sponsorship to LGBTQ+ people to support them in becoming more powerful advocates for themselves and others.
Together, we must elevate our voices, coalesce, support, and advocate for those who have been marginalized and overlooked for too long, and we must galvanize around principles such as equity, inclusion, and belonging.
With this in mind, the Out & Equal 2024 Pride Guide is designed to:
- Spotlight the joy, beauty, and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community and highlight their remarkable contributions within the workplace and beyond.
- Illuminate the power and value of diversity, inclusion, and belonging, particularly the innovation they unlock.
- Support organizations and the changemakers within them with the tools they need to bring inclusive conversations and celebrations into the workplace during the month of June and throughout the year.
- Guide organizations in building environments rich in inclusion and belonging where individuals can show up authentically and thrive.
Position Your Organization as an Employer of Choice by Leading With Inclusion and Belonging
During Pride month—and beyond—leverage Out & Equal resources designed to help your organization meet the needs of LGBTQ+ talent and foster an inclusive and welcoming workplace.
Global Toolkit for Change: Assessing LGBTQI+ Inclusion in Your Workplace
Around the world, we have seen instances of the business community leading the momentum for LGBTQ+ inclusion, often well ahead of legal and societal changes. This toolkit is designed to provide practical guidance for organizations by helping them identify gaps that may exist between their policies, programs, and inclusion practices and the day-to-day experiences of their employees.
Practitioners for Change: Intersectionality Learning Series Resources
The Intersectionality Learning Series is designed to deepen practitioners’ understanding of, and competency in, key aspects of identity and equity through curated programs by diversity, equity, and inclusion leaders, both in and out of the corporate space.
Learn more about the “lavender ceiling”—a mix of overt and subtle bias, limiting stereotypes, and structural inequalities that lead to career blockages for out LGBTQ+ leaders in organizations—and how to reduce systemic bias and improve programs that support LGBTQ+ leaders.
Cracking the Gen Z Code: Attracting and Retaining Gen Z’s LGBTQ+ Talent
Nearly one-third of Gen Z people identify as LGBTQ+. In this guide, learn how to ensure your organization is LGBTQ+ and Gen Z inclusive and that you are leveraging talent acquisition and other internal policy best practices to attract and retain Gen Z LGBTQ+ top talent.
Your Story. Your Truth. Your Power.
At work, we constantly reveal who we are–from clarifying pronouns, to referencing our spouses, to more strategically personalizing LGBTQ+ equality to advocate for policy change. This tool teaches LGBTQ+ people and allies how to more effectively share their stories in the workplace and gain a stronger sense of empowerment and growth as individuals and within the organization.
What’s Your Pronoun? Strategies for Inclusion in the Workplace
Using inclusive pronoun practices in the workplace is vital to building organizational cultures of respect and belonging for all regardless of their gender identity or expression. This tool provides practical guidance on how to implement successful practices and norms in the workplace.
Show Your Personal Pride and Support for the LGBTQ+ Community
Radiate Pride by taking the following actions to amplify your reach:
Sample:
SUSAN LIEU | HR Manager
Inclusivity Matters Inc.
Pronouns: she/her/hers
I am an ally of the LGBTQ+ community and member of [insert company’s LGBTQ+ ERG name]
Update Your Email Signature
Add pronouns to your email signature: Including pronouns in your email signature adds clarity to how you would like to be addressed while also indicating that you are respectful to the recipients’ choice of pronouns.
Include a line about your participation in your organization’s LGBTQ+ initiatives, notably LGBTQ+ Employee and/or Business Resource Groups (ERGs/BRGs), and indicate that you are an ally.
Show Your Personal Pride and Support for the LGBTQ+ Community
Celebrate and demonstrate your pride by updating your social avatar across your platforms and using our Radiate Pride Zoom background throughout the month of June and beyond.
Post photos of your organization’s LGBTQ+ Pride Month events and ERG activities on social media, and tag @outandequal.
Celebrate With Your LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group
Pride Month is a perfect time to increase engagement with your fellow ERG members—colleagues who, like you, have chosen to leverage their influence as internal change agents by committing their time and expertise toward creating more equitable and inclusive work environments for themselves and others. Use the ideas below as inspiration for engaging not only your LGBTQ+ ERG, but also fostering connections with ERGs across the organization throughout the year.
Share Your Plan
At the beginning of the month host a kick-off meeting or send an email detailing all the upcoming events.
Broaden Your Reach
Consider including other ERGs to participate in any LGBTQ+ ERG-specific programming—remember that being a member of the LGBTQ+ community or ally is one part of an intersecting identity.
Reflect
At the end of the month, ask members to share their thoughts on the programming and highlights of their pride experience. This information is very useful for future planning efforts.
Plan Early
It’s never too early to start planning ahead. Based on your reflections from last year’s Pride celebrations, consider anew which events you would like to host or promote and create a calendar to build engagement and support.
Attend a Pride Celebration
Organize a meet-up at one of your local Pride events. Celebrating as a group and representing your company is a wonderful way to show unity and build your community.
Host a Talent Show
Pride month is about embracing and celebrating who you are and who we are—as individuals and as a collective LGBTQ+ community. What better way to do so than by encouraging members to share their talents with one another. This event can be virtual or in-person and it is bound to be a bonding experience for all involved.
Play Trivia
At the beginning of the month host a kick-off meeting or send an email detailing all the upcoming events.
Host a Storytelling Session
Sharing your personal story can make a great impact on someone’s life and provide a sense of empowerment within yourself. Celebrate identities by hosting either small groups of four to five people for a more intimate connection or consider a Ted Talk-style presentation where a few people share with the rest of the ERG. Need help crafting your story? Use the Out & Equal storytelling guideto learn how to share authentic stories at work.
Display Your Pride
Plan a day in June when everyone in your ERG wears their favorite work-appropriate Pride outfit or Pride ERG t-shirt and swag.
Start Your Meeting With an Icebreaker
Pride month is a perfect time to be more engaged with your fellow ERG members. Try these conversation starters during your next meeting:
- What was your first Pride experience?
- Do you have a favorite Pride memory?
- What does LGBTQ+ Pride mean to you?
- What do you find inspirational about Pride month?
- Do you have a favorite LGBTQ+ character from a movie or book?
- Who was the first LGBTQ+ character you remember seeing?
- Do you have a LGBTQ+ hero or role model in your life? What is something that you have learnedfrom them?
- What messages do you hear about LGBTQ+ people in your daily life? In your family? Friend group? Workplace?
- What advice would you give a young LGBTQ+ person now?
- What advice do you wish someone would have given you growing up?
Go Beyond the Workplace: Elevate and Celebrate LGBTQ+ Voices
We find ourselves in a moment where individuals and institutions are actively working to erase the LGBTQ+ community’s contributions from the history books. One of the most impactful ways we can all combat that is to elevate and support LGBTQ+ voices, artists, business owners, stories, and people.
- Learn more about and share the stories of LGBTQ+ trailblazers who have shaped our culture and society at large.
- Read more books by LGBTQ+ authors. Here are two lists to get you started.
- Listen to music from LGBTQ+ artists. Out & Equal has you covered with its series of Spotify playlists!
Together, we can elevate our entire community. Together, we will Radiate Pride!