BIG IMPACT INITIATIVE AWARD:
UNITE von Covestro
Some business areas are reached more by LGBT*IQ business networks, others have hardly any points of contact with them. To date, there have been few best-practice examples of LGBT*IQ awareness-raising work in production companies. UNITE, the LGBT*IQ network of Covestro Deutschland AG, has raised awareness of LGBT*IQ in production. The response was consistently positive, so further events are planned in various areas and at different locations. This makes UNITE a true pioneer, as there have been no best practice examples from other production companies to date.
RISING STAR AWARD:
bunt/lb von nord/lb
Despite being founded at the beginning of last year, this network has already planned and carried out a large number of creative activities. BUNT/LB stands for acceptance and understanding at all levels of coexistence. In addition to representatives of the LGBT*IQ community, Allys are also committed to the interests of the network as members of the foundation; the chairwoman also acts as a patron.
On this year’s Diversity Day, BUNT/LB called on all employees to paint white rubber ducks in bright colors. The more than 200 creatively designed ducklings from various locations then went swimming together in the company pond. This creative idea was the deciding factor in choosing BUNT/LB.
GLOBAL LEADER NETWORK AWARD:
shine von pwc
This network has not only been advocating for the LGBT*IQ community for ten years, but is also active in over 30 countries worldwide. In 2023, Shine introduced its first Global LGBT*IQ Inclusion Strategy, which aims to further promote equal opportunities for the LGBT*IQ community with concrete measures and objectives. These measures include raising awareness among managers, expanding the network, collecting data on the needs of LGBT*IQ employees, providing educational opportunities and increasing visibility through role models.
In order to provide employees with these learning experiences, workshops, discussion panels and other events were offered throughout June – including across national borders – thus living up to Shine’s title of “Global Leader”.
sustainability AWARD:
pride+ von hogan lovells
At Hogan Lovells, diversity and inclusion are seen as a strategic priority at all international locations, as evidenced by policies on discrimination that protect all LGBT*IQ identities and a separate gender pronoun policy. In the six years since its creation, Pride+ has set itself the task of training all employees and managers on unconcious bias and integrating the topic of LGBT*IQ into recruitment processes. In Germany itself, a recommendation on gender-neutral language in the workplace has also been in place for two years, which is reinforced in the long term through repeated training.
MYSTORY with …
Mano
Berlin
“To Tell the truth, I never came out because i was never hidden in the closet.”
Published: October 2023
There are certainly a multitude of people and events that have marked, educated, shocked and inspired me. My parents and my family are my primary role models. Fortunately, they tought me essential basics such as courage, respect and humility. They nurtured the roots on which I can grow. My parents certainly knew about my homosexuality before me, but they never asked me the question. Out of modesty, fear or respect, I don’t know. Anyway, I like to think it’s out of love. To tell the truth, I never came out because I was never hidden in the closet.
I knew at a very young age that I was different from others, by my physical appearance, my origins and also my attraction to boys.
I am very lucky to have a loving and respectful family. I would like other less fortunate people to access better possibilities.
Today as Doctor of Pharmacy I work at Parexel International as project director for compassionate programs. These programs provide patients with serious or life-threatening conditions access to unapproved products when no comparable alternative treatment options exist – while ensuring patient safety and superior delivery.
I identify as queer and believe that a diverse, equitable and inclusive world leads to better outcomes for and with everyone. It expands access to better health care, creates opportunities and expands human rights for traditionally underrepresented patient groups.
Most if not all clinical trials focus on male/female behaviors against drugs for purposes of safety and efficacy and to better dose patients. Failure to collect gender identity information means that there may be certain diseases, conditions and risk factors that we are not aware of. Unfortunately, traditional study structures, the templates we use for protocols and informed consent documents, and the data we collect are often designed in ways that do not address the specific needs and demographics of the transgender community.
Our priority commitment to patients must motivate us to recruit a diverse group of patients that represent our society. Indeed, we develop methods, trainings and documents to promote and improve the enrollment of LGBT*IQ patients in clinical drug trials and compassionate programs. There is a need to educate healthcare professionals to encourage diverse patients to participate in clinical trials, including transgender and non-binary people.
We need trust and respect of transgender and non-binary communities towards their healthcare professional in the context of clinical research.
DEAR mano, Thank you very much for YourStory!
X has developed into a platform on which racist, queer- and trans-hostile, anti-Semitic as well as other misanthropic content is becoming more and more widespread. This content is not deleted or prosecuted. Instead, since Elon Musk took over, words like “cis” or “cisgender” are considered offensive.
Musk bought Twitter in October 2022 for 44 billion US dollars and has since laid off more than half of all employees. Instead, he introduced a subscription model in which users receive the blue verification tick in exchange for a monthly or annual payment. Thanks to this, profiles that spread discriminatory content reach an even wider audience.
PROUT AT WORK rejects any form of discrimination and advocates for LGBT*IQ equal opportunities. The foundation creates inclusive spaces where discrimination and prejudice have no place. Therefore, remaining at X is no longer justifiable for PROUT AT WORK.
The PROUT AT WORK Foundation joins the German Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency, the German Trans* Association, the German Society for Transidentity and Intersexuality and many other associations and organizations to set a sign against hate and for diversity.
“Our exit from X is a clear signal to the public that we do not tolerate hate speech. We want to encourage other organizations to take this step as well and end their presence on X,” said Albert Kehrer, CEO of the PROUT AT WORK Foundation. “Platforms and social media need to be aware of their responsibility and take effective measures to combat anti-human speech and discrimination and protect marginalized groups.”
IInterested people can still find PROUT AT WORK on the social networks Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Today is #InternationalPronounsDay! This day takes place annually on the third Wednesday in October and is dedicated to the topic of personal pronouns.
Especially for people who do not identify as (strictly) male or female, but for example as genderfluid or non-binary, pronouns can be important to express their gender identity.
In this context, a person’s appearance says nothing about the pronouns that person uses. That’s why it’s always important to ask about the pronouns!
Many LGBT*IQ people use neopronouns to distance themselves from binary gender thinking and feel comfortable in their identities.
Mentioning one’s own pronouns can help to free oneself from stereotypical binary thought patterns and contribute to sensitization in our society. Not every person necessarily uses the pronouns “he” or “she,” and it is important to treat these people with respect.
A study by the Trevor Project confirms that non-binary youth are more likely to struggle with mental health issues than cis youth. In other words:
Addressing the issue and being mindful of how people want to be addressed can save lives.
Pronouns in the Workplace:
Visibly placing your pronouns shows support and helps avoid misunderstandings.
You can place your pronouns…
- … in the e-mail signature
- … in Microsoft Teams
- … in Zoom
- … at the physical desk by sticker or name tag
- … etc.
Gender neutral pronouns – examples:
They/Them
They are on the phone right now.
This is their desk.
The presentation was created by them.
The parcel is for them.
No pronouns
Anouk is on the phone right now.
This is Anouk’s desk.
The presentation was created by Anouk.
The parcel is for Anouk.
MYSTORY with …
alex
34 Years, fRANKFURT
“It was Black trans* women who educated me about
our community’s history and present, the privilege
of being queer in Europe and about the long
way we have to go to eradicate discrimination…”
Published: September 2023
Privileges, Education & Coming outs.
I struggled to sit down and write this. It often feels like I don’t have something meaningful to share, but when it comes to my coming out story, it also feels like it was just super uneventful. It is a super privileged position unavailable to many members of our community who have to fear for their safety if they come out. I wish for all members of our LGBTQIA2S+ community to have uneventful coming outs and possibly even no need at all for coming out in the future.
When I was 15 years old, I realized I was bi. I cared more about Xena, Warrior Princess and her soulmate situation with Gabrielle than I did about whatever straight girls my age were supposed to care about. I was attracted to men and women and didn’t know at the time that the gender spectrum held many more beautiful expressions.
Today, I would describe myself as pan or omni if we must have a label – to me, I’m simply queer.
I’m not attracted to only one gender identity. I just didn’t know because there wasn’t a lot of queer representation back in 2003.The L Word came out in 2004, and while it hasn’t aged well and is not a great example of an intersectional approach, it changed my world at the time, as did The L Word podcast.
I told my mom very soon and it wasn’t a big deal. Mostly because she’s super tolerant, but also because it probably didn’t feel real. I’d never had a boyfriend or girlfriend when I lived at home.
But I must have been worried about her reaction because I kept my first girlfriend a secret. I like to think that this wasn’t just because of her gender but also because we met online, had not met in person as there was an ocean between us and I associated the whole situation with shame. I was 19 and left Germany to move in with my Canadian girlfriend in Brighton, a queer hotspot in Europe. We broke up after 6 months, and I think to this day, most of my family and friends thought she was a roommate. My second relationship was with a man. No coming out needed there, everyone knew him as my boyfriend.
The queer community remained a fixture in my life. Most of my friends and housemates were queer, I had fallen in love with the art of drag and went to every show that I could. I owe a lot to the queer community; they have helped me overcome whatever was holding me back from normalizing my own queerness while I was celebrating everyone else’s. They have shown me how to accept myself, how to fight for my community, how to exist in a world that assumed everyone is straight. It was black trans* women who educated me about our community’s history and present, the privilege of being queer in Europe, in a queer city, and about the long way we have to go to eradicate discrimination for ALL the beautiful members of our community who face violence and discrimination for simply living the life they were born to live. I was an ignorant 20-year-old and have been educated by their kindness and their fights. I wish I could say that I educated myself – I did, in later years – but that initial education was done by the people most marginalized in our society, and I owe them so much. I became an activist for queer and women’s rights and continue learning to this day. Although there is still a long way to go, one of the biggest achievements of our community is this: An elder trans* woman (she allowed me to say that) said to me last year, “Finally, trans* people can have a future! When I grew up, there simply was no representation and only the threat of dying young. I didn’t know I would be happy; that simply wasn’t in the cards. Today, trans* kids can see a future; we have trans* actors and actresses, athletes, politicians, ordinary couples who are happy.” That being said, we both agree that a lot remains to be done to ensure a safe future for trans* kids and adults.
I met the woman who would become my wife in 2012. We were colleagues first and then close friends for years before our friendship turned into love. It seems to be an unwritten rule that whenever two women are colleagues, not married, and hang out, they must have an affair. At least that was the rumour at work long before we developed romantic feelings for each other. I remember when we went to the cinema, it was the hot topic at work in certain gossip circles for a whole week. Sometimes rumors got back to me about sightings of us doing suspicious things like drinking coffee and sometimes these rumors were even completely made-up.
People were talking about us being together long before we were together, so when we started dating, we didn’t tell anyone but two friends at work. We just “were.”
Same with my mom. She immediately clocked that we were together, and that was that. I just walked through the world, normalizing the fact that I had a girlfriend who then became my wife, and most people respond in kind. I’ve been privileged enough to be working at a diversity-aware company when I fell in love with her, and when I switched companies, I was in senior enough positions that people did not dare to comment anything homophobic to my face. I’m not ignorant though; I’m aware it happened behind my back. I’m aware it happens to others, and I know that homophobia still is rampant in the workplace and our society. After years of remarkable progress for queer rights (which are, fundamentally, human rights), we find ourselves confronted with a historic backlash that threatens to roll back the hard-fought gains of decades, not just in terms of legal protections but also in public perception.
It is a critical moment for LGBTQIA2S+ communities and their allies, demanding swift action and unwavering solidarity.
There it goes. My Coming Out is not a very interesting story. In fact, a lot of what’s interesting is between the lines: about my own internalized stuff, stuff I had to unlearn, and things about which I was completely and utterly wrong. Like when I assumed my until-then 100% straight girlfriend would only treat “us” as an experiment, that she would never tell her family about us, that this new experience would shake her self-image to the point where she’d run. Or that she would have difficulty adjusting to a relationship after being single for 16 years and wouldn’t be able to make space for me. That it wouldn’t last.
We’ve been together for 100 months in July 2023, married for 4 years. She still doesn’t know how to load the dishwasher like a human being, but other than that, we’re fine.
Attacks against our community are increasing on a global scale. Merely celebrating the few rights and limited acceptance that gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals have achieved is not enough. The TIN* community is far from experiencing the same rights and acceptance. We must continue fighting until discrimination against queer BIPOC, queer people with disabilities, LGBTQIA2S+ migrants, and especially discrimination against our trans and non-binary siblings is eradicated. We cannot settle for mere awareness and visibility. Society is aware of us; what we need is equal protection, respect, and opportunities that should be extended to everyone within our global community.
(Note: *TIN refers to the transgender, intersex, and non-binary community)
Dear aLex, Thank you very much for YourStory!
Together with Marcus Brieskorn from radioSUB PROUT AT WORK Board Member Jean-Luc Vey talked about the Rainbow Chat Deck.
“The idea behind the Rainbow Chat Deck was to develop a tool, through which people can get into an exchange about LGBT*IQ. Through the questions and individual answer options, the cards are also meant for people who have had very little to do with the topic so far.”
You can find the whole interview here (GERMAN):
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Rainbow Chat Deck
DR. SHIVAJI DASGUPTA
“HAVING THE FREEDOM TO BE WHO YOU ARE GIVES YOU SO MUCH MORE AGENCY AND ALLOWS FOR SO MUCH HIGHER PRODUCTIVITY BECAUSE YOU DON’T HAVE TO HIDE ANYTHING.”
Many people think that sexual or gender identity has no place in the workplace and therefore does not need to be discussed. But the truth is different – the hiding of LGBT*IQ employees who are not outed is often at the expense of team spirit, energy and motivation in the workplace and limits the productivity of these people immensely. For this reason, it is important to create an “open and inclusive corporate culture that supports all employees in using their full potential to achieve the company’s goals.” – says Albert Kehrer, Chairman of the PROUT AT WORK Foundation. To get one step closer to this goal, this year’s DINNER BEYOND BUSINESS keynote speaker – Dr. Shivaji Dasgupta – provided powerful insights into his world as an out executive during a “Fireside Chat” and highlighted the importance of commitment to LGBT*IQ equal opportunities on the part of companies.
At the PROUT AT WORK Foundation’s 6th DINNER BEYOND BUSINESS, hosted by Deutsche Post DHL Group in Bonn, the focus was on the commitment of companies and their leaders to the LGBTIQ community. “We are all united tonight by the desire for people to be able to come to the workplace with their authentic selves and not have to hide a significant part of their personality.” – said Dr. Thomas Ogilvie, Member of the Board of Management and Labor Director of Deutsche Post DHL Group in his welcoming speech. More than 35 senior executives from major companies and institutions accepted the invitation, including representatives from BASF, Clifford Chance, Continental, Commerzbank, Ergo, IKEA, ING Diba, NTT Data, Oracle, Otto, Robert Bosch, Sandoz, Sodexo and UniCredit. In the immediate vicinity of the Rhine, the participants of the top-class information and networking event enjoyed an exclusive dinner. Albert Kehrer explained the background of DINNER BEYOND BUSINESS in his welcoming speech: “We believe that there is a business case behind the support for LGBTIQ: an individual one for the people who come out, but also on a corporate level – whether B2B or B2C.” The highlight of the evening was the “Fireside Chat” by the CEO of the host PROUT AT WORK Foundation, together with keynote speaker Dr. Shivaji Dasgupta, Out Executive and Chief Data Officer at Unicredit on diversity, responsibility and leading by example.
“People then know they can trust you on other issues as well – you get an added bonus of trust as a leader if you’re completely open and honest.”
At the beginning of the 45-minute talk, Dasgupta shared private insights as an out executive: “99% of the reactions to my coming out have been overwhelmingly positive. Having the freedom to be who you are gives you so much more agency, and allows for so much higher productivity because you don’t have to hide anything.” At the same time, it has a clear impact on the professional environment: “People then know they can trust you on other issues – you get an extra trust bonus as a leader if you’re completely open and honest.” According to Dasgupta, companies also benefit considerably from their commitment to LGBT*IQ equal opportunities, whether through better results due to more diverse teams or when recruiting talented employees.
“Executive Allies are so important because they send a very strong signal throughout the organization that discriminatory behavior will not be tolerated.”
Also highlighted in the “Fireside Chat” was the influence of Allies: “Executive Allies are so important because they send a very strong signal in the organization that discriminatory behavior will not be tolerated.” Against the backdrop of different legal realities for LGBT*IQ around the world, the Indian-born executive is also concerned about valuing and taking advantage of freedoms here:
“We should all feel fortunate to be where we are and take this opportunity to help others.”
Drawing of the talk with DR. SHIVAJI DASGUPTA
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We are happy to be part of the first Rainbow Day on July 13 at the Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main.
The Rainbow Day provides all interested parties with an exceptional opportunity to enter into discussions with companies in a pleasant atmosphere, to explore their own career opportunities and to learn how a modern company offers all employees a contemporary, appreciative working environment.
The booth discussions at the exhibition stands in the auditorium center, which go beyond the company booths, offer an opportunity for exchange. Many other partners of Rainbow Day are represented: University institutions, student associations, the press – diversity is important to all of them.
The supporting program with lectures and panels goes one step further in terms of content and is also of interest to all those who do not currently wish to embark on a (new) career path.
The visitors’ lounge offers space to linger and exchange ideas, and free drinks are available here.
More information about the event is available on the Rainbow Day website (German):
Informationen für Besucher*innen – RainbowDay
RECAP
We were pleased to welcome Maxi Pichlmeier as a guest at our PROUT PERFORMER Lunch Talk on Thursday, May 4, 2023.
Click here for the recording of the conversation (German):
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about Maxi:
For those who don’t know Maxi, digital media are anything but foreign to him and he has a lot to say when it comes to queer life, politics and media. Because being queer is still political in 2023! Maxi Pichlmeier’s TikTok account is all about queer news, queer politics and the gay community, to which he himself belongs. In his videos he processes his own experiences and wants to bring news to young (queer) people.
Campaign: #theLworksout for this years` Lesbian Visibility Day
Lesbian persons and Bi*sexual Women are often overlooked due to Lesbian Invisibility. To this day, there are very few visible lesbian role models-especially in a business related context. In many Networks, lesbian persons are a minority. Hence, important role models for younger colleagues aren´t guaranteed. With the Network- and Branch-encompassing campaign #theLworksout on the 26. of April, we can strenghten openly Lesbian Persons and, together with a wide spectrum of atendees, improve Visibility and point out the Diversity of Lesbian Persons.
How can i join the campaign?
- Inform yourself and speak to lesbian persons both inside your Network and outside, to raise awareness for the campaign.
- Take a portrait photo, orienting yourself on our examples, with your Tablet. It doesn´t matter if it is printed or digital. You´re welcome to use shades of grey instead of color for your portrait. (Make sure you´re allowed to use the logo of your company with your employer. If not, you may also use the company name, or hand your photo in without it.)
- Post your own campaign-photo on April 26 2023 at 10:00 AM, including the hashtags and taggings of your primary Social Media Channels.
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 wanted, your own Company
Position your company as a supporter of the campaign and for Lesbian Visibility, and animate employees to take part.
This campaign was initiated by the PROUT AT WORK-Foundation and LGBT*IQ business-networks.
Tips for lesbian persons:
A Lesbian Coming out can still be tied to discrimination and hardships. If it helps you,
- look for Allies / Role Models in the company.
- network with the LGBT*IQ-network.
- look for support in dealing with discrimination and ill-fitting comments.
- always remember: You pick the time and place for your Coming Out.
Tips for companies:
- create sensibility for unconscious bias
- create clear expectation profiles
- anonymize applying for jobs
- Build/Strenghten internal LGBT*IQ-Networks
More information to the listed points can be found in the study “The L-Word in Business”, which deals with the situation of lesbian women in a work environment-with tips for employers.
TIps for Allies
- Inform yourself about lesbian topics.
- Use gender-inclusive language.
- Do not fetishize lesbian relationships.
- Stand up for the rights and against discrimination of Lesbian People. For example support the action nodoption, which works against the adoption of stepchildren and for the acception of Parentage in Rainbow Families.
Counseling:
Lesbenberatung Berlin
The “Lesbenberatung” is an open place for women, girls, Trans* and Inter* in different life situations.
LesMigras
LesMigraS is a branch of the “Lesbenberatung” Berlin e.V. that deals with discrimination and violence.
Letra
“LeTRa” stands for Lesben(T)Raum and is a place for meeting, counseling and event location for lesbian persons.
LIBS – Lesben Informations- und Beratungsstelle e.V.
LIBS e.V. is a psychosocial counseling office and with a goal of working against the reasons and follow up effects of discrimination against lesbian and bisexual women.
Regenbogenfamilien München
The Counseling Office in Munich works with rainbow Families to better the living conditions for them, and fight discrimination against them.
Rosa Strippe
The “Verein Rosa Strippe” is specialized on personal and individual problems of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans* and Inter* persons, and offers help with their problems.
For a throwback and quotes to last years´ #theLworksout-campaign, take a look at our page on the Lesbian Visibility Day 2022.
Weitere hilfreiche Informationen und Interviews finden Sie auch in unserem Beitrag
zum Lesbian Visibility Day 2021.
We´re looking forward to your appliance!
More questions? Just contact us in our office!