{"id":29078,"date":"2018-06-28T14:07:11","date_gmt":"2018-06-28T14:07:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.microsoft.com\/?p=409884"},"modified":"2018-06-28T14:07:11","modified_gmt":"2018-06-28T14:07:11","slug":"how-to-come-out-as-an-lgbtq-ally-at-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/2018\/06\/28\/how-to-come-out-as-an-lgbtq-ally-at-work\/","title":{"rendered":"How to \u2018come out\u2019 as an LGBTQ+ ally at work"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Building your career is a journey filled with challenges, excitement, and forks in the road. And journeys are easier with maps. In this column, job experts answer your questions and deliver advice to help you take the next step.<\/em><\/p>\n

Question:<\/strong>\u00a0I want to help my coworkers feel respected for who they really are. But sometimes I\u2019m not sure what to do or say to show that I\u2019m an ally, and I don\u2019t want to mess up or hurt anyone\u2019s feelings. How can I be a better ally?<\/p>\n

Answer:<\/strong> The first step to becoming a better ally is wanting to be one\u2014so you\u2019re on the path already! There are many ways to be an ally in your professional realm, including connecting with coworkers to learn what they face and care about, stepping in when someone isn\u2019t being treated with respect, and educating others. These Microsoft employees, who are all allies or members of the LGBTQ+ community, have some advice.<\/p>\n

Know what an ally is and why you should be one<\/h2>\n

An LGBTQ+ ally is someone who respects equal rights, gender equality, and LGBTQ+ social movements; stands up for members of the LGBTQ+ community; and challenges homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia. Allies increase protection, safety, and equality.<\/p>\n

\u201cComing out\u201d as an ally in the workplace sends a powerful message of affirmation and support to LGBTQ+ employees, which can help them feel more respected and able to do their work.<\/p>\n

Spend a little time thinking about why you want to be an ally\u2014and think about why allies are needed and how you could make a difference, said Andrea Llamas, a senior human resources advisor.<\/p>\n

Often, the motivation to be an ally comes from personal stories and connections.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone has a friend or family member that is part of the LGBTQ+ community,\u201d Llamas said. \u201cTo make the world a better place for the people in that community, [we need to get to the place where] sexual orientation or gender identity is not important.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once you know why you want to be an ally and what you might want to accomplish by being one\u2014whether it\u2019s as simple as making another person feel comfortable or as big as becoming a vocal advocate for change\u2014you can figure out how to do it.<\/p>\n

Set out to learn more<\/h2>\n

Many people feel unsure of their role as allies in part because they aren\u2019t familiar with the experiences or realities of LGBTQ+ people. Don\u2019t worry if you don\u2019t know what a term means or if you aren\u2019t familiar with an issue. Research is where to start, Llamas said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you don\u2019t have the information you need and if you are curious, ask,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

If you do ask a coworker who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community, make sure that you pose your question in a respectful way and perhaps in private. First and foremost, communicate your openness and desire to learn so that you can support.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re worried about saying the wrong thing to LGBTQ+ coworkers\u2014such as using the wrong pronoun\u2014respectfully ask them how they prefer to be addressed or how you should refer to something. You might also ask how they would prefer that people address mistakes when they happen, suggested Michael Tan, a Microsoft manager of a transgender employee.<\/p>\n

But don\u2019t rely on LGBTQ+ people to educate you on everything; do your own research. Morty Scanlon, a business program manager, suggests using resources from Straight for Equality<\/a>, The Human Rights Campaign<\/a>, and Outstanding<\/a> to learn more.<\/p>\n

Members of Microsoft\u2019s LGBTQ+ employee resource group GLEAM<\/a>, which stands for Gay and Lesbian Employees at Microsoft, have helped create resources and workshops for coworkers who want to be allies. Find out whether your company has similar resources, suggest that they be created, or even help compile them, said Scanlon, cochair of GLEAM.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen people have resources at their disposal, they can see a path toward their own allyship to materialize,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

As you do your research, look at your own assumptions. Take the opportunity to recognize and move past bias. Use these questions as guides:<\/p>\n