Last week I attended the Out & Equal Conference as a representative of my employer. Out & Equal is a non-profit dedicated to workplace equity, inclusion and belonging for LGBTQ+ people. The Out & Equal Workplace Summit is the largest LGBTQ+ workplace equality event in the world. I was one of more than 4,000 in-person attendees--members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies--who loudly, proudly and cautiously descended upon Orlando and Disney World.
Security was a high-priority for the Summit given the current climate in Florida. You couldn't walk more than 10 feet without seeing a security guard. Provisions were made to escort attendees off planes and to bathrooms if needed to keep our trans and non-binary travelers safe (and out of jail). It was a wake-up call--proof that reports of anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment in Florida aren't just news fodder.
Our dinner in Disney Springs mid-week was a stark reminder that hate abounds. My colleagues, proudly wearing tees with LGBTQ+ pride messaging, felt more unsafe than they ever have walking to dinner. The glares and stares, the righteous indignation. Another reminder of how much we've retreated in terms of acceptance. We couldn't get out of there fast enough and back to the safety of our hotel.
Fortunately, that was our only brush with hate. What we experienced in the safe haven of Summit was exactly the opposite--it was sheer bliss. You could see happiness wafting from each and every person you met. Not unlike the Wizard of Oz when Dorothy discovers she's no longer in Kansas--the world was saturated with color. All types of people, ethnicities, races, orientations, and identities were represented. Some had been out most of their lives. Others were newly out--the "baby gays." And some found the courage to share their true selves for the very first time.
Everyone shared their pronouns. Drag queens walked through the conference center. There were men dressed in suits, and women in stilettos. People in three piece suits with matching heels. In dresses and combat boots. In skirts with unshaven legs. In full makeup and a beard. Every bathroom was gender neutral. Two mommies and two daddies brought their children for family vacations. And to Fox News' dismay, no one was abused, or groomed, or brainwashed. No children were harmed or victimized. There were no awkward stares or jaws dropping in the safety of our space. There were no long bathroom lines either--plenty of potties to go around! There were smiles. And hugs. And compliments galore. "You look fabulous!" "Those shoes are AMAZING!" "Your eyes really pop in that color." "Your whole look this week has been on point!" "I love your earrings!" "Honey where'd you get that dress?" "You have the best smile!"
We heard from LGBTQ+ leaders at the world's largest companies--Dell, JPMorgan Chase, Apple, Google, GE, Procter & Gamble, Deloitte, The Walt Disney Company, Toyota, McDonald's, General Motors, Microsoft, Boeing, Molson Coors. And government departments like the CIA, NASA, Homeland Security, the FBI, the Veteran's Administration. We learned from trans and non-binary executives who have risen to the top of their respective careers because they are affirmed and supported in the workplace. Because they are seen first and foremost as humans with a lot to offer their companies and the world. We were reminded why being inclusive is good for business and the economy--did you know that when employees feel the need to "cover" and hide their sexual orientation and/or gender identity, they lose 30% in productivity? (Deloitte will be unveiling this new research soon.)
We learned. We listened. We shared. We cried. We laughed. We celebrated. We hugged. But ultimately, at the end of the week, we were just a bunch of people who went to a work conference. And that sameness was life-giving.
As I spend a good amount of my time advocating for our trans and non-binary youth, this week served as an important reminder why equality also must extend to the workplace. Inclusive healthcare, including mental health benefits, are vitally important. Safe work spaces foster creativity and productivity. There are so many excellent companies and organizations who believe in the power of inclusivity in the workplace. Seek them out. Tell your kids to research an organization and their LGBTQ+ policies before applying. Look at HRCs Equality Index. Talk to employees about the culture. We spend most of our time at work. Make sure you can take your full self there.
This week was a love bonanza. It was, quite honestly, the definition of UTOPIA. A world in which we could all thrive. I was sad to come back to reality. And to long women's bathroom lines.
I will keep fighting for a day when every space is the happiest place on earth.
