Beyond Pride: Transform Good Intentions into Meaningful LGBTQ+ Allyship

Every June, Pride Month offers a vital opportunity to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and advocate for equal rights. But true LGBTQ+ allyship extends far beyond rainbow-themed displays and social media filters. This compelling course, "Beyond Pride: Year-Round Action," is the second in a two-part series, designed to help you, your team, and your organisation move beyond symbolic gestures to become authentic, active supporters of LGBTQ+ rights all year long.

What You'll Learn: This course provides practical, actionable advice for both organisations and individuals committed to living inclusive values and remaining steadfast in their advocacy. You’ll delve into:

• Understanding Allyship: Explore the origins of Pride in the Stonewall Uprising of June 1969, a pivotal moment that sparked decades of activism for visibility and equal rights. Differentiate between genuine allyship – actively using power or privilege to champion a marginalised group and create equity – and performative allyship, which involves expressing solidarity without taking concrete action.
• The Power of Year-Round Action: Discover why sustained commitment is crucial, especially when nearly half of LGBTQ+ workers still feel the need to remain closeted at work, despite growing public support for equal rights. Learn why corporate sponsorships and public relations statements are insufficient without corresponding action, and how their absence can backfire.

For Organisations: Cultivating Inclusive Workplaces Organisations wield significant structural power, and when shared equitably, this power can profoundly impact marginalised people. This section provides a structured approach to building a truly inclusive environment:

• Reflect & Assess: Begin by defining your organisation's current involvement with Pride and setting clear goals. Honestly evaluate existing practices and policies, separating intention from impact. Are your HR, benefits, and business policies truly inclusive, covering protections for orientation, gender identity, and expression?
• Research & Act: Learn from leaders in LGBTQ+ corporate equity and identify specific needs of LGBTQ+ employees, avoiding the burden of education falling solely on them. Finally, create a clear plan with benchmarks, timelines, and budgets to implement real change, including performance metrics for hiring, retention, and advancement.

Explore the Five Pillars of an Inclusive Organisation:

1. Cover the Basics: Ensure full compliance with current laws, implement clear non-discrimination policies, and foster a no-tolerance culture for discrimination.
2. Communication: Adopt gender-neutral language, normalise pronoun sharing in company materials, and consistently repeat your commitment to an LGBTQ+-friendly culture, both internally and publicly.
3. Perspective: Critically examine existing policies through an equity lens, ensuring benefits like parental bonding leave, medical coverage (including gender-affirming care), and bereavement leave are inclusive of all family types and identities.
4. Support Systems: Establish proactive safety nets such as LGBTQ+ affinity groups (ERGs), provide regular sensitivity training for all staff (especially management), and ensure robust anti-harassment training.
5. Financials: Align your budget with your inclusive goals. Scrutinise political donations, ensure business partners share your values, hire LGBTQ+-owned businesses, and reinvest profits from Pride Month into the community.

Embrace the Journey: This course will equip you with the knowledge and tools to become a proactive and impactful ally. Remember, as civil-rights activist Dorothy Cotton said, allyship is about "fixing what ain't right" in our society. Above all, remember: "Like love, ally is a verb".

Begin your journey to impactful, year-round LGBTQ+ allyship today