LGBTQ Pride Month Training

Pride Month is a time to celebrate the LGBTQ community and raise awareness about their issues. It also serves as a chance to learn more about the history of this movement, which started in 1969 in New York.

Argonne is marking LGBTQ Pride Month with Safe Zone workshops focusing on allyship. These workshops are aimed at creating a workplace culture that enables employees to better support the LGBTQ community.

1. Understand the History of Pride

June has long been celebrated as LGBTQ Pride Month Training a time of community celebration and remembrance. But it’s important to know that Pride is much more than a bunch of rainbows and partying; it’s rooted in a long and arduous history of marginalized groups who have struggled to be accepted for who they are.

The history of Pride began in 1969 as a series of protests against police raids at the Stonewall Inn, a bar that catered to New York City’s gay, lesbian and transgender communities. These riots are often credited with sparking the modern fight for gay rights, which we still celebrate today.

The first Pride marches were organized by activists, such as Frank Kameny and Lili Vincenz. Researchers can access primary sources from the Library’s Manuscript Division that offer a detailed look at the planning and execution of these early events.

2. Understand the Current State of Equality

LGBTQ people in the US and around the world continue to face discrimination, harassment and violence due to their sexual orientation and gender identity. As a result, achieving equality is still a long journey.

In the US, LGBTQ people of color are especially vulnerable to discrimination and violence. As a result, Black, Indigenous, Latine, and Asian American Pacific Islander (BIPOC) activists are central to the LGBTQ movement and should be embraced and uplifted throughout celebrations of Pride Month.

In the United States, federal laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, public accommodations, education, federally funded programs, credit and jury service. While some of these laws are now in place, others have yet to be fully implemented.

3. Understand the Challenges

Pride Month is a time for LGBTQ people to celebrate their identities and advocate for equal rights. However, this year’s celebration is facing a number of challenges.

One challenge is that it’s been disrupted by anti-LGBTQ legislation. This has led to increased anti-LGBTQ incidents across the country.

This is a good time to focus on making your workplace a safe and supportive place for LGBTQ employees. To do this, you need to create a culture that reflects your company’s values and beliefs.

You can start by encouraging employees to write about queer issues during Pride Month, which will help enhance employee experience and company culture. This can be done in a variety of ways depending on your line of business and staff members’ abilities.

You can also organize a Pride movie night, or ask teams to watch a classic that highlights LGBTQ rights. This will encourage team bonding and allow employees to discuss changes in LGBTQ rights since the film was released.

4. Understand the Solutions

Pride Month, June, is a time to celebrate the achievements of LGBTQ people and remember those lost in anti-LGBTQ violence. It is also a reminder of the ongoing fight for equality.

Throughout the last two decades, major gains have been made toward full social inclusion for the LGBTQ community. However, discrimination in housing, healthcare, schools and other areas still presents barriers to achieving complete equity.

There are many solutions available to advance LGBTQ equality. In addition to government efforts, the non-government sector including organizations like USP have played a key role in driving change.

To help employees at USP better understand LGBTQ diversity and reduce unconscious bias, we’re offering a Meeting in a Box tool this month. This resource can be distributed to all employees, and it is designed to provide a simple framework to build more understanding and empathy towards LGBTQ people.