As Pride celebrations continue this summer, it’s worth remembering why they are necessary in the first place - why Pride is a protest. LGBTQ+ individuals still face barriers to access, success and happiness across many areas of life. This is not to speak of the horrendous violence being inflicted on LGBTQ+ people in certain regions of the world as I write this post.
Take a new global survey by myGwork - LGBTQ+ Business Community which highlights the mental health challenges LGBTQ+ professionals face. Almost half have faced depression, the results show, with anxiety and the inability to be one’s true self in the workplace also key concerns. There is a clear imperative for employers to step up here.
The study also shines light on the plight of trans and nonbinary individuals. Sadly, the results are not in the least surprising: the trans community continues to be used as a political football by those who wish them ill, many of whom disingenuously frame concerns around lifesaving self-ID laws as a question of safety. Studies have repeatedly shown: self-ID laws do not lead to lessened safety. The German Bundestag’s passing of the Selbstbestimmungsgesetz is therefore to be praised. Trans people are who they say they are, and it is heartening to see more and more businesses show their allyship. I am proud to work at a company that not only advises businesses on these issues, but which also supports its queer employees - the fantastic Open For Business being just one example.
I look forward to celebrating CSD in Berlin this weekend and was pleased to see Berliner CSD E.V. publish an inventory of areas where legal protections for the LGBTQ+ community - still, in 2024, at the heart of the European Union - fall short.
I hope one day there will be no need for Pride. But until that is the case, I encourage allies to think for a moment about the contributions they might be able to make. That is why I will wave a rainbow flag this weekend 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
#Pride #LGBTQ #CSDBerlin
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Content Creator, Writer, Editor. Head of PR & Communications at myGwork; Founder & Director, Fair Play Talks.
3moGreat insights on how employers can better support LGBTQ+ employees and create more inclusive work environments myGwork - LGBTQ+ Business Community & Marc E D Svensson