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The Global Stage for LGBT Diversity

The Global Stage for LGBT Diversity. Claudia Brind-Woody Vice-President & Managing Director, IBM Global Intellectual Property Licensing. LGBT Rights in the World: Globalization looks different if you are LGBT. Same-sex Marriage:

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The Global Stage for LGBT Diversity

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  1. The Global Stage for LGBT Diversity Claudia Brind-Woody Vice-President & Managing Director, IBM Global Intellectual Property Licensing

  2. LGBT Rights in the World: Globalization looks different if you are LGBT Same-sex Marriage: Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Iceland, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden Mexico City US States: MA, CT, IA, VT, NH, NY, WA, MD and DC Brazil (upgrade from civil union) Death Penalty: Iran, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Mauritania, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, Nigeria, Somalia

  3. Laws prohibiting discrimination in employment based on sexual orientation

  4. Framing the Dialog: LGBT Rights as Human Rights When framed as Human Rights, LGBT rights are harder to dismiss and can be leveraged as part of other Human Rights Activism: the right to privacy, free association, equal protection, the right to life, to be free from arbitrary detention, to security of person and protection from torture Language matters: In most cultures, the term “homosexuality” focuses the detractors only on sex Examine how cultures and countries treat their women: Become a Feminist • Roe v. Wade framed the notion of our right to privacy in the US and enabled Lawrence v. Texas - the case that overturned sodomy laws here • The treatment of women in the Middle East • The notion of Women as property in India • The “machismo” culture in Latin America • The infanticide of girls in China • The “curative” or “corrective” rape of women in Africa In the Global South, human rights violations are rampant: Patriarchy, Imperialism, Racism, Homophobia are the enabling factors The Human Rights Council's first-ever formal UN inter-governmental debate on violence and discrimination against LGBT people on March 7, 2012 was marked by the walk out by many representatives from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the Arab group and the African group

  5. Globalization: LGBT Leadership and advocacy in Corporations Courage Creating and requiring a safe & inclusive working environment for all employees – even in countries where the law allows discrimination Advocating for changes in discriminatory country laws Climate Aligning leadership, motivation, reward system, communication and values at all levels Communication and Communities Using social networking tools to enable diversity networking and support across country boundaries and anonymous interaction, communities and education for closeted employees Cultivation of Straight Allies Enabling surrogacy, reverse mentoring and candid conversations with other straight employees Complacency Recognizing workplace barriers persist for LGBT employees – even where legal rights are protected Candor LGBT issues are hard – especially where culture and religion create barriers. Within the walls of the Corporation, LGBT employees must not be marginalized or sacrificed. Collaboration Partnering with other corporations – including traditional competitors – to bring joint economic leverage to a region of the world on behalf of human rights

  6. What does this mean for you? • Be Courageous - Come Out at work – again and again and again…. • Reach Out - across borders, gender, age, culture, ethnicity, ability and difference • Contribute - to networks, teams, colleagues, communities • Commit - to making the path easier for those who come behind • Mentor – up and down the company (reverse mentoring) • Build bridges - Cultivate Allies – Be an Ally • Be good at what you do – add value to your company • Communicate the opportunity cost of what LGBT employees could be doingwithout fear versus what they currently do – even though they may be at the top of the profession. • Educate - resolve to help your colleagues, friends and families understand the inequities suffered by LGBT people in every corner of the globe. . • Be visible, be a role model, live authentically, be a catalyst for change

  7. “They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.” Andy Warhol (1928 - 1987)

  8. The Global Stage for LGBT Diversity Claudia Brind-Woody Vice-President & Managing Director, IBM Global Intellectual Property Licensing

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