Do You Let Friends Make LGBT or Racist Jokes?

By | Diversity and inclusioin, diversity speaker, GLBT, LGBT, LGBT equality, racism

“I have a friend who keeps making offensive jokes about  LGBT  people and racist comments about Black people, but I don’t say anything. I don’t want my friend to be mad or hurt her feelings,” a colleague told me.   My reply, “If you are really a diversity champion, if you support equal rights and opportunity for everyone, then you…

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Why LGBT People Don't Need Special Rights

By | Diversity and inclusioin, gay employees, inclusion, Lesbian, Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender, LGBT, LGBT ally, LGBT diversity, LGBT equality, LGBT Inclusion, LGBT Rights

  During a recent client meeting on inclusion, when the words LGBTQ came up, one of the meeting attendees remarked, “I’m not anti-gay but I just don’t believe that should have special rights.” My first thought, “Oh no, do we really have to have this conversation again?” Obviously we did. I told this woman that LGBT people want the same…

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How to Leverage LGBT Diversity of Skills & Talents

By | diverse workforce, diversity and inclusion, diversity and inclusion champion, GLBT, LGBT equality, LGBT Inclusion

1- Understand your biases and don’t make assumptions. Most of the time you don’t know who is an LGBT person unless they tell you. LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) people span many dimensions of diversity in your workplace; generation, ethnicity, religion, work function, communication style, etc. 2- Know that LGBT people are not looking for special treatment but want the…

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