Campaign: #theLworksout for Lesbian Visibility Day
Lesbian persons and also bisexual women are often not perceived, one speaks of Lesbian Invisibility. To this day, there are few visible lesbian role models – especially in the business context. In many networks lesbian persons are in the minority. As a result, there is a lack of role models for new and younger colleagues. Through the cross-network and cross-sector campaign #theLworksout on April 26, we can empower openly lesbian people and together create visibility through a large number of participants, as well as highlight the diversity of lesbian people.
HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE IN THE campaign?
- Inform lesbian people from your own network and beyond to make them aware of the action.
- Create a portrait photo using the templates, whether printed or digitally with the tablet. You are also welcome to use the template in grayscale, for example. (Make sure to clarify in advance whether you are allowed to use the employer’s company logo together with the template. Instead, you can use the company name or use the template without the company name).
- Post your own campaign photo on 26.04. 2022 from 10:00 am with the respective hashtags and taggings on the social media channels you use
Hashtags
#theLworksout
#LesbianVisibilityDay
#LesbianVisibility
#LesbischeSichtbarkeit
#LGBTIQBusinessLadies
#ProutAtWork
#LGBTIQRoleModels
#FlaggeFürVielfalt
Taggings
PROUT AT WORK
Facebook: @PrOut@Work
Instagram: @proutatwork
LinkedIn: @PROUT AT WORK-Foundation
Twitter: @proutatwork
If applicable, own company
Position yourself and your company as a supporter of the campaign and for lesbian visibility and call on employees to participate.
The campaign was initiated jointly by the PROUT AT WORK-Foundation and LGBT*IQ business networks. The Lesbian and Gay Association (LSVD) and Wirtschaftsweiber e.V. support the campaign.
You can also find more helpful information and interviews in our article
on Lesbian Visibility Day 2021.
We look forward to a successful campaign!
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
We stand in solidarity with all people in Ukraine who are affected by the Russian invasion and war. We know that the Russian regime is extremely queer-hostile and repressive. Therefore, if you would like to support, for example, the LGBT*IQ community or other associations and groups concretely and have the resources to do so, you are welcome to do so via the following pages.
Points of contact and donation options
Many people need immediate help in the current situation. That is why we have listed various donation options here. The list does not claim to be complete. Rather, it represents an excerpt that can be constantly supplemented.
Munich Kyiv Queer / Queere Nothilfe Ukraine
“The contact group Munich Kyiv Queer, formed in 2012 after the CSD in Munich, specifically advocates for the human rights of homo-, bi-, trans* and inter* people in Ukraine. The twinning between Kyiv and Munich is the basis for this.”
“Queere Nothilfe Ukraine is an association of representatives of various organizations from the LGBT*IQ community in Germany. We are in close contact with the human rights organizations on the ground, which use funds for the urgently needed care or evacuation of queer people. Every donation helps and is 100% earmarked.”
With their fundraiser they support activists who need money for transport, accommodation and food until they have found a safe place.
Quarteera e.V.
Quarteera e. V. is an association of Russian-speaking LGBT*IQ in Germany. With their donation campaign, the necessary funds for food, clothing, fees for legal aid, language courses for LGBT*IQ, will be financed.
Kharkiv Pride
KharkivPride is the largest LGBT*IQ Pride organizer in Ukraine, along with KyivPride, which created the event for the protection, equal rights and opportunities of LGBT*IQ people.
You have further input?
Feel free to contact us with specific places to go and ways to donate,
that we can include on the list.
ASAW (A_romantic Spectrum Awareness Week) has been held annually since 2014 – for the first time November 10-17, 2014 under the name “A_romantic Awareness Week”. In 2015 it was decided to move the week to the end of February and change the name to A_romantic Spectrum Awareness Week to address all Arospec identities.
ASAW starts a full week after Valentine’s Day ( starting on Sunday). It follows directly after this romantic holiday to give the a_romantic community a place to celebrate their identity and share their own experiences.
Within this week, the awareness and acceptance of identities of the a_romantic spectrum, as well as their discrimination, should be brought to attention.
The term “a_romantic” is formed from the prefix “a” meaning “none” or “without” and refers to no romantic attraction to others, little romantic attraction to others, or romantic attraction that occurs only under certain circumstances. Individuals show little to no desire for a romantic relationship and sometimes even feel repelled by it. Nevertheless, this does not preclude a_romantic individuals from feeling romantic attraction or being in a non-purely platonic relationship. Some – for various reasons – are interested in romantic relationships with other people, while others are not.
A_romantic people state that they find it difficult to “fall in love.” In doing so, they sometimes choose to have non-traditional relationships or refrain from relationships alltogether. Refusal to engage in romantic acts may differ among a_romantic people from person to person. (For example, some prefer only hugs but reject kisses.)
A_romanticism is not necessarily related to a_sexuality. There are people who identify as both a_sexual and a_romantic, but it is not a compelling connection. The opposite of a_romanticism is alloromanticism (people who are romantically attracted to other people).
In the a_sexual and a_romantic community, a distinction is made between sexual and romantic attraction. Therefore, different combinations of sexuality and romantic attraction are possible (e.g. homosexual and a_romantic). This is called the “split attraction model“. A_romanticism is seen as a spectrum that also includes people who do not identify as “completely a_romantic”.
The a_romantic spectrum can be divided into several subgroups:
– Greyromantic (romantic attraction is felt only rarely or weakly).
– Demiromantic (romantic attraction only after trust has been established)
– Lithromantic (attraction towards other people without the desire for these feelings to be reciprocated)
– Quoiromantic (people who have difficulty distinguishing between romantic and platonic attraction)
any many more.
The symbolism behind the colors of the a_romantic flag:
- Dark green represents a_romanticism (green is the opposite of red, which often represents romantic love).
- Light green indicates the a_romantic spectrum
- White represents forms of non-romantic attraction (such as platonic, aesthetic, and queerplatonic relationships)
- Grey represents “grey-romantic and demi-romantic individuals”
- Black indicates the “spectrum of sexuality”
A_romanticism can be defined individually, so this article is to inform you about the topic and to give you a basic overview. Use the week to learn more about the topic because – you never stop learning!
Tips and recommendations
Intersex
Awareness Day 2021
Intersex Awareness Day was established in 1996 and has been held annually on October 26th since then. This day is intended to draw attention to the inter* community worldwide and to raise awareness for discrimination and disadvantage in the everyday life of inter* people.
The term is formed from the Latin prefix “inter” which means “between“.
Inter* is the term for people with biological characteristics (chromosomal, gonadal, hormonal, anatomical) that show variants, of purely female or purely male biological characteristics. In some cases, intersex traits may be visible at birth, while in others they may not be visible until puberty. Some hormonal/chromosomal variations need not be physically visible at all.
Intersexuality is not an isolated case, because besides the chromosome sets XX and XY, there are thousands of other possibilities of chromosome pairings, such as XXY, which do not correspond to the bisexual “norm”. This is indicated by the asterisk, which stands for different self-designations and clarifies that there is no “one right way” to be inter*. Intersexuality refers to biological sex and should be distinguished from sexual orientation or gender identity.
A big step in the direction of a free and self-determined life for inter* people was the law published in 2021 to prohibit genital reassignment surgery for inter* children who are unable to give consent.
THE INTERSEX FLAG:
The colors of the inter* flag are intentionally purple and yellow to move away from gender-specific colors like pink and blue.
The circle symbolizes the unbroken and the potential of inter* people, because even today the inter* community is still fighting for their right to be who they are.
Interview with Nica Schächtele (Nonbinary, Trans*, Inter*)
What formative experiences related to your intersexness have you had (in the workplace)?
Intersexuality is a topic that cannot be explained in 10 minutes, but needs a lot of time, so an intensive conversation can take several hours.
Is the topic of intersex addressed in your workplace, and if so, how?
Intersex is very rarely a topic in the work, and usually initiated by me, for example at Diversity Week.
What challenges and stereotypes have you faced as an inter* person?
There are many caveats and self-declarations. Example: Intersexuality can’t exist at all, because there are only male or female cells, at least according to biology classes. Only a few people can really understand the terms intersex or intersexual, some mix it up with bisexual or non-binary. Even within the LGBT*IQ community, the “I” is a very small letter.
Would you have wished for anything else for your coming out and what are your wishes for the future of the inter* community?
When I came out it went well, the new info was almost always received positively. For the future I wish the inter* community more visibility, knowledge about the many variants, information exchange between individual groups and joint actions with the nonbinary-trans* community.
TIPS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Ace Week 2021 Beyond Awareness
Ace Week (formerly known as Asexual Awareness Week) has been held annually in late October since its inception in 2010. This year, it will be held from October 24th to October 30th with the theme “Beyond Awareness.” Its purpose is to make A_Sexuality visible and to give a_sexual people the opportunity to talk about their experiences.
The term “a_sexual” is formed from the prefix “a” which means “none” or “without” and refers to no or only slight sexual attraction to other people and/or oneself. However, different organizations, but also a_sexual people themselves define A_Sexuality mostly individually.
In contrast, a_romantic describes no or only a slight romantic attraction to other people. A_sexual people are not necessarily a_romantic and vice versa. The opposite of A_sexuality is allosexuality (people who are sexually attracted to other people).
A_sexuality is on a spectrum, which is made clear by the underscore. Also part of the spectrum are for example demisexual (a person feels sexual attraction to another person only after a deep emotional connection), greysexual or also graysexual, (a person feels sexual attraction to others only rarely or very little) and many more.
A_sexuality is not related to celibacy. That means a_sexual people do not decide voluntarily or for religious reasons to abstain from sex. Moreover, despite their a_sexuality, they can perform sexual acts for various reasons, e.g. to have children.
This also distinguishes A_Sexuality from Antisexuality, where sex is rejected on principle. Additionally, A_Sexuality has nothing to do with repressed sexuality or fear of it. Ace people simply do not feel sexual desire. It is estimated that about 1% of humanity is a_sexual.
The symbolism behind the colors of the A_sexuality flag:
- Black stands for a_sexuality
- Gray symbolizes the a_sexual spectrum
- White stands for sexuality
- Purple represents the a_community
A_Sexuality can be defined individually, so this post is to inform about the topic and provide a basic overview. Use this week to learn more about the topic, because – you never stop learning!
TIPS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
BIG IMPACT INITIATIVE AWARD:
queerbw
QueerBw was heavily engaged in the rehabilitation of homosexual soldiers. After §175 was deleted from the penal code in 1994 and homosexuality was thus completely decriminalised under German law, homosexuality nevertheless remained an aptitude criterion for the Bundeswehr until the year 2000. Those affected were excluded from service from the outset or had to put up with demotions and dismissals if they did not conceal their sexual orientation or were outed. A good 20 years later, under the enormous influence of QueerBw, the draft law for the SoldRehaHomG (‘Law for the Rehabilitation of Soldiers Discriminated Against in Service Law because of Consensual Homosexual Acts, because of their Homosexual Orientation or because of their Gender Identity’) was implemented into law. This will both overturn past judgements and compensate the persons affected, as well as in the case of discrimination under service law, for example through transfer to lower positions. The network supported the process towards the law through content-related work, networking with politicians and numerous campaigns that raise awareness of the issue.
RISING STAR AWARD:
LGBT*IQ & Friends @ rwe
The still young network has already been able to establish a wide range of offers in terms of education, counselling and public relations. For example, the network promoted the publication of a trans* guideline that accompanies employees in transition as well as managers and colleagues. Particularly noteworthy is the broad support from all areas and levels of the group, from pit workers to the board level.
GLOBAL LEADER NETWORK AWARD:
Encompass Pride
ABB’s Encompass Pride has almost 800 members worldwide. During Pride Month 2021, the network initiated around 25 events worldwide, reaching thousands of employees. Internally, the network focuses on raising awareness, for example through unconscious bias training and an Ally Guide translated into six languages. Also present in heteronormative countries, the network combines locally tailored approaches with global goals.
sustainability AWARD:
proud heroes
The actions of Proud Heroes impress with their consistent orientation towards the needs of queer employees – on the basis of annual surveys. The network also knows how to anchor the implemented measures in all levels and processes of the company and thus create binding guidelines, for example on transitions, discrimination or secondments abroad. This paves the way for long-term and sustainable change towards LGBT*IQ equal opportunities in the workplace.
Media Partner for the LGBT*IQ Awards 2021
Coming Out Day is held annually on October 11. Launched in the USA in 1988, Coming Out Day aims to encourage people to come out, to make the LGBT*IQ community visible and to reduce prejudice.
Coming out is an identity process: it is about self-knowledge, acceptance of one’s own person, and having the courage to tell others. That’s why affected people often spend years thinking about how and when to come out. Uncertainty and fear play a big role – of the reaction of the family, of conflicts with close people, of the reaction of superiors and colleagues, often accompanied by the fear of a career break. With a coming out, affected persons therefore give a great leap of faith, which must be protected. Knowing well that parents, managers and colleagues may also have to go through a process (contradictory feelings, worries, acceptance) – they should nevertheless be strengthened right at the beginning. Communication is therefore very important: How everyone can support well, which questions should be given space (and which should be avoided), we illuminated in a joint panel discussion with our PROUT EMPLOYER Commerzbank AG.
This event took place in German. The recording of the panel discussion can be found here:
The panelists:
“The relationship between siblings is a special one and, for me, one of the most important in the family that doesn’t stop with adulthood. For example, I was the first contact person, at least in front of my parents, when my brother came out about 20 years ago. At the time, I was overwhelmed and asked questions like, “Are you sure?”. Yet it was I myself who was unsure and felt helpless. Today, I want to create trust through education and I’m really looking forward to this exchange.”
Sofia Strabis, Head of Diversity & Inclusion, Commerzbank AG
“Since my coming out, I have been open about the subject. I feel responsible for my children in particular. After all, how are they and others supposed to deal with it as a matter of course if I don’t do it myself? You can only break down prejudices if you get into a conversation. With my voluntary commitment as ARCO spokesperson and as a board member of LSVD Saxony, I therefore want to ensure visibility and also encourage others.”
Sabine Schanzmann-Wey, Regional Press Officer and ARCO Spokesperson, Commerzbank AG, Member of the Board of LSVD Sachsen e.V.
“When my daughter told us she was a lesbian in 2006, when she was twelve, I was, to be honest, a bit taken aback. Because until then I hadn’t really been aware of the queer world. This was an impetus to deal with the topic. Today, based on my own experiences as a father and also as a manager, I want to support, raise awareness and advocate for an open and tolerant work environment.”
Paul Fillmore, Divisional Board Group Risk Control, Commerzbank AG
“I know from my own personal experiences how difficult but also important it is to come out in private and at work. We all, friends, family, parents and colleagues, contribute a great deal to an open culture in society and at work. Our common goal should be that everyone who wants to come out can do so – without experiencing any disadvantages or exclusion.”
Dr. Jean-Luc Vey, Executive Board, PROUT AT WORK-Foundation
Bi-Visibility Day 2021 has been held annually since 1999. Today marks the end of Bisexual Awareness Week, which took place this year between September 16th-23rd 2021. It is intended to raise both awareness and create visibility for bisexual people, their concerns, and experiences of discrimination. Bisexuality is also often used as an umbrella term for various bi-identities. These include, for example, bisexuals, bicurious persons, pansexuals, polysexuals, multisexuals, and omnisexuals.
The term bisexuality is formed from the Latin word “bi” (meaning “two”) and stands (literally and in binary terms) for interest in one’s own gender as well as the opposite gender. Nowadays, with the progressive dissolution of the binary norm through non-binary gender identity and other expressions of gender, there have long been discourses about how binary this sexual orientation should really be seen. It is important that each bisexual defines bisexuality for themselves, including, for example, non-binary or trans* people. As an overall definition it can be stated that bisexuality describes the attraction to two or more genders.
The symbolism behind the colors of the bisexuality flag:
- Pink represents both emotional and sexual attraction to the same gender.
- Purple stands for the “overlap,” the symbolism for interest in two or more genders.
- Blue represents the emotional as well as sexual attraction towards the opposite gender.
INTERVIEW WITH PROUT EXECUTIVE DR. FOLMA KISER, DIRECTOR AT BAYER AG
What formative experiences related to your bisexuality have you had (in the workplace)?
To be honest, few. Surprised faces is perhaps one thing and complete silence another. But a really great experience was when a colleague told me that he now dares to be open about his sexuality. He saw me on the PROUTExecutives list and is convinced that you can live your identity openly at Bayer and still have a career. That has encouraged him a lot.
How is the topic of bisexuality addressed in your workplace?
Sexuality is generally not addressed, except in the internal LGBT*IQ network BLEND and marginally in the topic of D&I.
What challenges do you face as a bisexual person or what stereotypes do you face?
I see myself less confronted with challenges as a bisexual person but more as a rainbow family in general. You can see that, for example, the terms “gay”, “lesbian” and “bi” are still used as swear words in schoolyards (and not only there) and also educators and teachers avoid the topic of LGBT*IQ and inclusion in general. Social acceptance is still difficult when the major democratic parties react here only half-heartedly. The pressure on other countries like the G7 is also not there, so same-sex marriages are not recognized in all G7 states. My wife did not even get a “residence status” in Japan, whereas our children and I got it during our stay.
What else would you have wished for your coming out?
For me, that was still at the beginning of the Internet era, more networked groups would have been great here. I think that the information available and networks in general are much better today. And also if the topic LGBT+ had been on the curriculum at school – then everyone who is not hetero-cis would have had an easier time understanding their identity.
STATEMENTS BY ACCENTURE EMPLOYEES ON THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH BISEXUALITY
Teresa Pieper – Management Consultant
Hello, my name is Teresa (she/her) and I work as a business consultant in financial services. I was 30 years old when I realized that I was attracted to people regardless of their gender.
I’ve never been uncomfortable with men, and that’s the reason I didn’t realize I was also attracted to women and other genders.
With greater visibility of people identifying as bisexual, I would have been able to recognize it much sooner and thus feel like it was a serious sexual orientation and not just “a phase” or “being confused.” Role models and a general acceptance of bi-sexuality are so important for us to show that sexuality is not just either straight or gay.
An inclusive and informative work environment helps me be myself, continue to learn, educate colleagues and friends, and feel safe when facing clients. I know my employer always has my back.
Vanessa Zimmermann – Executive Support Analyst
I wish those around me had taken it seriously and not just declared it as a “phase”. Most people were surprised and the instant reaction was usually, “You don’t look like that” – which can be frustrating.
Bisexuality is not the most present topic in the LGBT+ community, most people are open to it, but I often get negative comments like, “You need to make up your mind” or “It’s just not the real thing” – people just don’t take it seriously. For the same reasons, I was pleasantly surprised to hear about our local celebration of Bisexual Visibility Day. Some people don’t know any better, and these venues can help us raise awareness to keep moving forward toward a more inclusive work environment.
Felix Steinhardt – Digital Business Consultant
As PRIDE Lead Germany, one of my tasks is to support all members of our community as much as possible. For me, the importance of visibility is fundamental to creating a closer connection to our members and their stories. As a bisexual person, I know that sometimes it can be hard to resist the labels that others want to put on us, but hey…. there’s nothing like being proud of who you are!
Our commitment to diversity is felt everywhere and helps our teams create innovative solutions. No one has to pretend – mutual respect and empathy make us one big family.
Timona Borhanuddin – Technology Strategy & Advisory
I was born in Hamburg. However, when I was six years old, I moved back to Bangladesh with my family. Due to the cultural and traditional norms in Bangladesh, I was confronted with many stereotypes as a child and teenager. I was taught how to be the perfect housewife for a man, and that you have to get married to make your parents proud. It was not easy to break all these stereotypes.
Today, I am OUT, LOUD, and PROUD of the fact that I am successful professionally, that I stand by my bisexuality, and that I have accomplished everything on my own terms. Stereotypes are set by society, and we can overcome them if we believe in ourselves and are open about it.
Before coming to Accenture, I worked at a smaller consulting firm where I didn’t feel like I could be myself. I didn’t dare talk openly about my sexual orientation or LGBT+ issues at my previous employer. That’s all the more reason why, when I changed employers, I made sure I was seen as a person. I firmly believe that we all work better and are more successful as a team when we create an open and tolerant environment where we can respect each other and all be ourselves.
At Accenture, you are motivated and supported to bring your authentic self to the workplace.If that means talking about your sexual orientation, you should be able to do so easily.
Accenture promotes an inclusive workplace and creates an environment where everyone can develop and flourish and be themselves to the best of their ability with special LGBT+ training, mentoring programs and a modern understanding of leadership and open exchange.
The statements are based on the personal experiences and opinions of employees and therefore do not reflect the opinions of Accenture or Bayer.
TIPS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Regularily, our board member Albert Kehrer invites an inspiring role model of the LGBT*IQ community or an LGBT*IQ Ally for a chat. You can look forward to an interesting exchange about role models and visibility in the LGBT*IQ community.
This event took place in German.
GUEST OF THE DAY
Sandra Vollmer
Board Member Finance and HR at 1&1 Mail & Media Applications SE
2nd Place PROUTExecutives 2021
Sandra Vollmer is responsible for the financial management of the 1&1 Mail und Media subgroup, known by its Web.de and GMX brands. In particular, she is responsible for supporting the company’s transition to a data platform-based digital business model and the associated change processes. She is also responsible for Corporate Controlling, Accounting, Tax and Procurement at the United Internet Group’s shared service company.
For Sandra Vollmer, equal opportunity is a fundamental part of the business. After all, it’s all about motivating qualified employees with exciting tasks and delivering top performance. In this context, nationality, ethnic origin, religion, gender and gender identity, age, disability or sexual orientation are completely irrelevant, but rather reflect the reality of a modern society to which, on the other hand, we provide our products and services.
In reality, unfortunately, we still encounter people who do not fully accept equal opportunities and in some cases represent traditional, outdated world views. Therefore, it is of great importance to Sandra Vollmer to actively demonstrate her own understanding of equal opportunities every day, for example in the staffing of projects, jobs and management positions. In addition, Sandra Vollmer supports internal company initiatives, such as the promotion of women in management positions. Her outing in a professional context took place in December 2020, so that her own transition, i.e. acceptance and “arriving” as a woman, was the main focus.
International Non-binary People’s Day has been held on July 14 since 2012. The date falls exactly between International Women’s Day in March and International Men’s Day in November. The day aims to raise awareness of the realities of life for non-binary people and to make issues visible that non-binary people face worldwide.
The terms non-binary, abinary, and genderqueer describe gender identities used by people who locate themselves outside the binary gender system. This includes, for example, agender, demigender and genderfluid people. Non-binary people can also be trans. However, trans people do not automatically assign themselves to a non-binary gender identity.
The symbolism behind the colors of the Non-binary flag:
- Yellow represents locating outside the binary gender system.
- White represents people who identify with multiple genders.
- Purple represents gender fluidity.
- Black represents people who do not identify with any gender.
Jo Labecka (NO PRONOUNS)
PROUT AT WORK-Foundation, Strategy & Corporate Partners
How do you identify and what does that mean to you?
I identify as genderqueer. For me, gender is a performance and a fluid continuum rather than a rigid, binary construct. Accordingly, I see myself outside of the binary system and feel the concept is artificial.
What are your experiences as a non-binary person?
I see my coming out as genderqueer as a kind of social work. An act that contributes to confronting people with the topic of being non-binary for the first time, so that they can deal with it. It is a process of self-discovery, as I discover new aspects of my identity over time and communicate accordingly to those around me. It is not an easy task because many still have little understanding of this topic. That means to show oneself again and again authentically and thus vulnerable, and thus also to have to come to terms with the fact that some try to deny my identity.
How can non-binary people be supported?
In any case, accept the new name of the non-binary person without expressing preference for the use of the old name. If certain pronoun usage is preferred, strive to follow that. In general, do not deny the existence of the non-binary identity, even if the concept is not comprehensible.
Tips and recommendations
10 Ways To Step Up As An Ally For Non-binary People
Young People Are Taking Control Over Their Gender Identity
Interviews with non-binary Accenture employees (DE)
Learn more about LGBT*IQ in our little LGBT*IQ ABC about terms like gender identity,
sexual orientation or gender expression.