From Your Queer Coworker: We Need an Ally

Diversity at work is a thing, and it’s something that should be celebrated. It makes us smarter because we can better understand the world around us and come up with new ideas. However, there are still workplaces where LGBTQ+ people experience discrimination and harassment, something that I’ve experienced myself firsthand.

This is especially true for transgender workers, who often face barriers in finding jobs and accessing benefits. For example, I make part of this beautiful community as an unapologetically Non-binary person!

I want to share my experience as a transgender folk working in the modern corporate world. I am positive that there are many Queer people out there who have faced similar challenges, and I hope that this article will help open up a dialogue about diversity and mental health within the LGBTQ+ community, but also our allies, those who have taken place in our battle for equality. 

The trans community is one of the most diverse groups in the LGBTQ+ spectrum. We come from all walks of life, with different political beliefs, socioeconomic backgrounds, and religious beliefs.

I remember one of my first experiences: I was afraid of crossing that door, it was not just my first real job, but also my first time working out of the closet and I knew (as I go by they/them) it might be difficult for some of my new co-workers to live in the same page as I was in that moment.

I was craving, not just validation and respect, but people to see that I needed a healthy environment to thrive… Unfortunately, this was not my favorite place back then. 

A diverse work environment not only benefits those who are part of the community but also the company since there exists a great variety of talents that are being foreshadowed, even when this has changed for the most part from a few years back until now. According to a study conducted by Center For Talent Innovation in 2012, 40% of our workmates are still inside the closet.

This is essential because it indicates a dissatisfaction in their professional career that makes them more likely to manifest higher levels of stress and irregularities in their surge of ideas that could lead to a farewell.

In the last year, the unemployment rate for the LGBTI population was 16.2%. This rate is 3.2 percentage points higher than that recorded by the rest of the Colombian population.

El Nacional. (May 11, 2022) 

For transgender people, this can be even more confusing. It’s not something new, but it is important to highlight that transgender adults are twice as likely to be unemployed, and more than half of transgender people manifest not feeling satisfied with their jobs.

It is important to understand that being an ally is not being “woke”, it is to help and propels equality for all, it is to give a safe space to our queer comrades, to make them feel part of the team, to let them take action and let them express themselves freely without fear of being harassed.

Now, how can you be an ally? Read everything about it and get some tricks:

1. Keep an open mind. Don’t presume that you know everything about LGBTQ issues – there’s a lot of diversity out there! Never be afraid to ask questions. Heck, even ask those weird questions that nobody else wants to answer! It’ll help you learn more about us and maybe even start a conversation with someone who might not have been too open-minded before.
2. Be supportive. Sure, it can be tough to show your support in public (especially if your boss is the “that doesn’t make us money” type), but do it anyway! If your colleague is struggling with their mental health or experiencing transgender or non-binary discrimination at work, offer them a listening ear and let them know that they’re not alone.
3. Stand up for us when necessary. If we experience mistreatment at the hands of our co-workers – verbal or physical – stand up for us and say something! Sometimes all we need is someone who believes in us to take a stand and help us get through this tough moment.
4. Advocate for us when necessary. When things happen at work that affects our LGBTQ rights specifically, be sure to advocate on our behalf! Whether it’s getting our company to sign up for LGBTQ equality policies or simply voicing your support for us during conversations with management, make sure you’re doing everything you can to help out!

Yes, it can be tough to break the ice, but if you’re kind, funny, and sincere, you’ll be on your way to being an ally in no time.

Greater queer inclusion in the workplace would benefit every single person inside or outside your company. and it for sure will keep us together, not just as a workforce but as humans.

Regardless of my bad experience in the past, right now I feel at peace with my new team, and that is why I am inviting you to be our ally. 

So, to all my co-workers reading this and for those who really want to make a change,

Happy Pride Month!

• Alek Huerta