Pride, Pronouns and Policy

DEI Spotlight: LGBTQ+

You’ve heard the phrase, “Misery loves company.” Is it because it is dreadful to be both miserable and isolated at the same time? I’m not sure I love bonding over pain, trauma, and tragedy. However, I’d rather find commonalities (even painful ones) among people than to find them so unfamiliar that we lack any kind of connection.

When you have the privilege to “other” people, then you can also afford to ignore them — add them to the margins of your life. I am often marginalized due to my race and gender. LGBTQ+ people are often marginalized because of their sexual orientation and/or gender expression. Moreover, many are further marginalized due to other intersecting identities, including race, ethnicity, socioeconomic class, etc.

What does it mean to be marginalized?

Marginalization, as we currently define it, is the act of relegating someone to an unimportant or powerless position — making them feel as though they’re the notes squeezed into the margins of society. Scribbled. Essentially unreadable. Small.

Recently, Kengen hosted its newly launched DEI Spotlight where we highlight an aspect of marginalized communities. June is Pride month. We put a spotlight on “Culturally Competent Language: Pride, Pronouns + Policy.” The session features the executive director of Gender Justice Nevada, Sy Bernabei. Sy did an outstanding job discussing the most pertinent topics facing the LGBTQ+ community today.

Although I am not LGBTQ+, I recognized the commonalities of our lived experiences such as:

· cultivating appropriate labels (People of color have battled over Negro, African-American, Colored, Black, etc.)

· reclamation of a derogatory term (i.e., the n-word) combined with disagreement about its use within the community. Some members of the LGBTQ+ community have reclaimed “queer.”

· the mental health and social cost of being marginalized — depression, isolation, rejection, discrimination, joblessness, abandonment, suicide, etc.

Marginalization can be obvious, or it can be very subtle, or almost impossible to prove. Here are a few examples of marginalization at work:

• Assuming someone got where they are only because they “check a diversity box”
• Refusing to recognize good work or consistently taking credit for another person’s work
• Finding ways to isolate someone, like purposefully leaving them out of meetings
• Blatant disrespect
• Assuming someone will act a certain way based on stereotypes about their identity (aspects such as race, gender, sexuality, etc.)
• Denying professional opportunities because of aspects of someone’s identity (racism, sexism, ableism)
• Not providing equal access to resources because of someone’s identity
• Derogatory language or bullying
• Singling someone out because of their religious beliefs or cultural practices

The behavior usually results in marginalized employees feeling invisible, as if their skills are unwelcome or unnecessary on their team or in their company.

Key Takeaway

If you are interested in becoming an ally, your job is to keep learning and listening.

Celebrate pride month by taking an hour to watch the webinar.

Learn the terms you need to know, how to show respect, and the two things you should never say if someone discloses their sexual orientation or gender identity to you.

Start now by clicking here.

For a robust list of diverse, equitable, and inclusive terms, click here.