Many communication professionals have just marked Pride Month by showing how their companies support diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. If that’s you, good for you. But are you also carrying out those activities the rest of the year?
Unfortunately, June is the only month some companies show visible support for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community – Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual + other ways people self-identify. And that visible support is more important than ever. Society is seeing an alarming increase in homophobia, transphobia and anti-Black, anti-Asian and anti-Jewish hate crimes. And Indigenous communities continue to experience racism, discrimination and violence.
How can communication professionals be better allies? To find out, I talked to Aniska Ali, CFRE (she/her). She is Director, Philanthropy, for The 519, a Toronto agency committed to the health, happiness and participation of the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. I shared my questions and her answers in the June issue of Wordnerdery.
The conversation touched on some of the ways we can support change. One quick hit is using pronouns, and using “they/them” to avoid misgendering someone. A longer-term project is to extend 2SLGBTQIA+ activities all year round. Check out Wordnerdery and The 519’s media guide for more ideas.
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How well is the corporate world embracing DEI? Another conversation and more advice from 2022