The Conversation Must Continue Beyond Pride Month

Pride Month 2022 has come and gone; the flags have lowered, and the parades have ended. But the concerns and challenges of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and asexual (LGBTQA+) community persist, so the conversations we started in June need to continue throughout the year.

At my company, Granite Telecommunications, Pride Month was a monthlong celebration with education, guest speakers, fundraising and a new employee recognition program produced by Granite RockOUT, an employee resource group for Granite’s LGBTQA+ community and their allies.

As chair of Granite RockOUT, I’m involved in developing our Pride Month programs and working with our volunteers to harness that energy throughout the year. So, in this blog, I’ll share highlights of the conversations we started. In later blogs, I’ll dig deeper into some key issues.

How We Celebrated Pride Month

As part of Pride Month activities, Granite RockOUT hosted several events for Granite teammates, including:

What We Talked About During Pride Month

Granite’s Pride Month activities presented many opportunities for LGBTQA+ and allies to spend time together, enjoy each other’s company and have meaningful conversations. The top takeaways were around these topics:

What can they do? Some strategies LGBTQA+ individuals can explore include working at a supportive company like Granite, joining an employee resource group or community support group, and consulting with mental health professionals. Listening to the stories of professionals like Ryan O’Callaghan and others about their struggles and victories also offered encouragement.

What can you do? You can join us in supporting groups for LGBTQA+ mental health like the Ryan O’Callaghan Foundation and The Trevor Project for suicide prevention.

What can they do? To accelerate that impact, LGBTQA+ individuals need to speak up and participate in a positive way. It doesn’t matter whether your day job is in the mail room or the boardroom – lead by example. To borrow a phrase, “Don’t ask what your company can do for you, but what you can do for your company.”

What can you do? Ask your employer what you can do to support their DEI initiatives. Then, just do it. If they don’t have a DEI initiative, advocate for one.

What can they do? LGBTQA+ individuals can seek out a circle of trust. An employee resource group like Granite RockOUT is one example of a safe place to meet other LGBTQA+ and allies at your workplace. There, you can be yourself, communicate your feelings, and find empathy and support. Give it a chance; you might be pleasantly surprised.

What can you do? Reach out. Whether you are LGBTQA+ or an ally, it doesn’t matter. Say hello and make a friend. Start a conversation … about anything. Build your own circle of trust.

What can they do? Coming out is different for every person. It happens at different times, different ages and in different ways. And it also may not be a single moment in time but a lifelong process. LGBTQA+ individuals can be patient with themselves and seek support from those they trust or counselors.

What can you do? A huge part of self-acceptance hinges on being accepted by others and being part of a community. Whether you’re LGBTQA+ or an ally, you can help to advance DEI by supporting your employer’s DEI initiatives, getting involved in your DEI employee resource groups and engaging with local LGBTQA+ organizations. Or you can simply be a friend to your co-workers regardless of gender or sexual orientation.

Each of these conversations was more in-depth than can be covered in a single blog, so we’ll be exploring these topics in greater detail in the coming months. Meanwhile, I hope you will also continue (or start) conversations with Pride!

Raul Medina is National Relationship Development Manager at Granite Telecommunications and Chair of the Granite RockOUT employee resource group for diversity and inclusion. Granite RockOUT was formed in 2019 to support Granite’s LGBTQA+ community and their allies. Its mission is to create a culture of positivity and acceptance within the Granite workplace so that all teammates feel welcome and enjoy their work environment. For more information, visit Granite at www.granitenet.com.

This guest blog is part of a Channel Futures sponsorship.