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Welcome!

Explore the significance of diversity in the workplace, focusing on LGBT inclusion. Learn key definitions, workplace challenges, and the business case for diversity. Discover essential attitudes and approaches to foster a respectful and inclusive environment. Enhance your cultural competence by understanding sexual orientation and gender identity. Uncover the importance of inclusion in leveraging the diverse talents of the workforce. Promote mutual respect, flexibility, and adaptability in embracing individual uniqueness. Gain insights from real stories and statistics to enhance awareness and create an inclusive workplace culture.

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Welcome!

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  1. Welcome! Cultural Competency Series LGBT Key Considerations and Awareness for an Inclusive Workforce Office of Diversity and Inclusion

  2. Equality of Employees

  3. What is Diversity and Cultural Competence….really? • Key Attitudes and Approaches • Taking a look at sexual orientation • Becoming familiar with some key LGBT definitions • Potential workplace challenges for LGBT and non-LGBT employees • Is there a business case? Key Considerations

  4. It is not Quantum Physics but…What is Diversity…..really? In its broadest context, diversity includes all that makes us unique: race, color, gender, religion, national origin, age, disability, culture, sexual orientation, gender identity, parental status, educational background, socioeconomic status, intellectual perspective, organizational level, and more. You It is I! From ODI’s Glossary of Terms http://www.diversity.va.gov/tools/glossary.aspx Nine Dimensions of Difference Reprinted with permission from Loden Associates.

  5. Secondary Dimensions • Characteristics that represent an individual’s group identity • Unlike primary dimensions because of the element of choice Reprinted with permission from Loden Associates.

  6. What’s Inclusion An Inclusive Workplace allows leaders to leverage the diverse talents and attributes of the entire workforce. • Inclusion: A practice that enables the full participation and contribution of the workforce in support of the mission of the organization by eliminating implicit and explicit barriers. Empowering the full potential of all employees.

  7. Cultural Competence Cultural Competence refers to a combination of knowledge, skills and awareness pertaining to cultural differences and different interpretations across groups It includes the awareness of and respect for differences, without making assumptions that everyone from a particular background holds the same beliefs and practices.

  8. Key Attitude and Approaches • Regardless of the various demographic groups each person is an individual with unique preferences, strengths and perspectives. • Each of us wants to be respected and understood. • Being more respectful and formal with conversation • Being open-minded • does not have to always equal acceptance or agreement but does help foster mutual respect. • Flexibility and adaptability

  9. The Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Gender Identity Law and Public Policy • Understanding the size of the LGBT population is a critical first step. In the published research study, April 2011: • 3.5% of adults in the USA indentify as LGB and estimated 0.3% are transgender • 9 million LGBT Americans, roughly equivalent to population of New Jersey http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/

  10. One Employee’s Story I wore a t-shirt that said: “Gay? Fine by me.” to a cookout with several employees. One said, ‘Aren’t you afraid that some lesbian will hit on you?’ I told him that since no one had hit on me for more than 35 years that I would be flattered. My comment did a few things: • made the person realize that the comment was kind of silly, reinforced that there’s nothing to be worried about, and • showed that getting past the concern that ‘someone will think I’m gay’ is possible…and sometimes can be done with a little humor. Kay, MD

  11. What is Your Sexual Orientation? • Everyone has a sexual orientation and gender identity. • Everyone falls on a scale of somewhere between purely heterosexual and purely homosexual. Heterosexual Bisexual Homosexual American Psychological Association. (2008). Answers to your questions: For a better understanding of sexual orientation and homosexuality. Washington, DC: Author. [Retrieved fromwww.apa.org/topics/sorientation.pdf.] http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/sexual-orientation.aspx.

  12. Defining Sexual Orientation • Sexual orientation: A person’s permanent emotional, romantic, or sexual feelings toward certain other people. • Sexual orientation also refers to a person’s sense of identity based on those attractions, related behaviors, and membership in a community of others who share those attractions. American Psychological Association. (2008). Answers to your questions: For a better understanding of sexual orientation and homosexuality. Washington, DC: Author. [Retrieved fromwww.apa.org/topics/sorientation.pdf.] http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/sexual-orientation.aspx.

  13. Key Definitions • Large variety of words and definitions • Important to respect language choices – there are variations and preferences including regional and within the LGBT community • LGBT – Not just an acronym; for every letter, there are people for whom the word is an important identity

  14. Key Definitions • LGBT: Abbreviation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender. Also seen as GLBT and is inclusive of all backgrounds • Lesbian: A term given to females who are attracted sexually and emotionally to some other females. • Gay: A term typically given to males who are attracted sexually and emotionally to some other males. • The term Gay might apply to both males and females depending on context or even the conversation • Bisexual: A term given to people who are attracted sexually and emotionally to some males and some females.

  15. Key Definitions • Transgender: A umbrella term describing the state of a person’s gender identity which does not necessarily match the gender they were assigned at birth. • Other words commonly used are female-to-male (FTM), male-to-female (MTF), cross-dresser, drag queen and king, and genderqueer. • Transgender people may or may not decide to alter their bodies hormonally and/or surgically. • Note: Being transgender does not imply any specific sexual orientation.

  16. Gender Expression and Gender Identity • Gender Expression • The way in which a person acts to communicate gender within a given culture; for example, in terms of clothing, communication patterns and interests. • Gender Identity: • Our innermost concept of self as “male” or “female” or what we perceive and call ourselves. According to mainstream research, most people develop a gender identity that matches their biological sex.

  17. Key Definitions - Ally Who is an Ally? Someone who doesn’t identify as, but supports LGBT social movements and speaks out for inclusion.

  18. Do We Talk About OurSexual Orientation or Identity at Work? • Sharing aspects of one's personal life with coworkers is a normal part of everyone's workday. • Conversations about spouses, friends and family help form bonds of mutual respect and trust that support a productive workplace. • Many more LGBT employees are now feeling more comfortable with these conversations; however • LGBT employees may experience real or perceived fear that they will be rejected, harassed or threatened by other employees, possibly preventing opportunities for career progression.

  19. Workforce Challenges • Unique challenges for LGBT employees • Life after lifting DADT policy • 4 Generations in Workforce • Sometimes an invisible minority • Role models • Always reading between the lines to ascertain safety zones and level of trust • Increasing but still developing support systems • Affects non-LGBT and LGBT employees

  20. Examining SomeWorkplace Considerations • Heterosexism - assumption that all people are heterosexual creating possible stigmatization or denial. • Religious beliefs • Fear (homophobia and transphobia) • Harassment & hostile work environment • Jokes, comments, threats • Workplace issues for employees transitioning gender • Lavender Ceiling

  21. Lavender Ceiling What is the Lavender Ceiling? • When LGBT communication and/or issues are avoided organizationally and individually. • When lack of appreciation and respect for LGBT counterparts are an established part of the workplace culture, career development and promotional advancement of LGBT employees is impeded or prevented.

  22. Coming Out • Coming outrefers to the process in which one acknowledges and accepts one’s own sexual orientation. • also encompasses the process in which one discloses one’s sexual orientation to others. • Closeted refers to a state of secrecy or cautious privacy regarding one’s sexual orientation. American Psychological Association. (2011). Definition of Terms: Sex, Gender, Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation. Excerpt from: The Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Clients, adopted by the APA Council of Representatives, February 18-20, 2011. The Guidelines are available on the APA website at http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/guidelines.aspx. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/sexuality-definitions.pdf

  23. Non-LGBT Self Assessment Spend some time considering your reactions regarding LGBT. Common reactions include: • “This just isn’t what I was brought up to accept.” • “Will being OK with gay issues lead to conflict with others?” • “This is much too political for me.” • “How will this influence my relationship with coworkers?” • “I will just be politically correct and go no further.” • “It’s just easier to keep my mouth closed and not discuss.” • “Are people going to start thinking that I’m gay?”

  24. Reviewing Perspectives • LGBT employees who want to help reduce prejudice and discrimination can: • Be open about their sexual orientation or gender identity; taking necessary precautions to be as safe as possible. • Examine their own belief systems for the presence of antigay stereotypes – not everyone who does not outwardly or actively support LGBT issues is anti-gay. • Make use of the LGBT community as well as supportive allies and others for support. American Psychological Association. (2008). Answers to your questions: For a better understanding of sexual orientation and homosexuality. Washington, DC: Author. [Retrieved from www.apa.org/topics/sorientation.pdf http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/sexual-orientation.aspx

  25. Reviewing Perspectives • Non LGBT employees who wish to help reduce prejudice and discrimination can: • Examine responses to antigay stereotypes and prejudice – is this the way to treat others? • Make a point of coming to know LGBT individuals who are open. Respect, Converse, Share • Work with LGBT individuals and communities to combat prejudice and discrimination – Consider Becoming an Ally American Psychological Association. (2008). Answers to your questions: For a better understanding of sexual orientation and homosexuality. Washington, DC: Author. [Retrieved from www.apa.org/topics/sorientation.pdf http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/sexual-orientation.aspx.

  26. Workplace – The Business Case • Creating a respected and inclusive workplace can: • *Enhance productivity, increase job satisfaction and boost employee morale, increase employee recruitment, retention and productivity, and decrease legal vulnerability. • Encouraging an engaging workplace with psychological safety as an institutional expectation will enhance engagement. • Committing to learning about a wide array of cultural differences and developing cross-cultural skills. *Adapted from Human Rights Campaign, Issues: Workplace, Employer Resources, http://www.hrc.org/issues/pages/employer-resources

  27. Summary • Explored meanings of diversity and cultural competence • Considered key attitudes and approaches for inclusion • Became familiar with some LGBT key definitions • Examined potential workplace challenges for LGBT employees and non LGBT employees • Vital importance of the business case for inclusion • Presented LGBT awareness for enhanced overall cultural competency in this area

  28. Department of Veterans AffairsOffice of Diversity and Inclusion John Fuller, Ed.D. Chief Diversity Educator Office of Diversity and Inclusion John.Fuller2@va.gov 202-491-5969 http://www.cultural competency.hr.va.gov/index.asp Everyone has the ability to do something amazing; some just do it on a more regular basis.

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