Allyship In Action: Supporting LGBTQ+ Mental Wellness In The Workplace

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From the earliest human existence till now, one of the key traits that has helped civilizations progress is harmony and acceptance of individuals, irrespective of their differences. Smita Shetty Kapoor, CEO & Co-founder, Kelp shares the challenges and support needed by LGBTQ+ in the workplace. Similarly, as a DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion ) practitioner means a person helping organisations implement a diverse, all-inclusive workforce for increased employee engagement and growth. She observed that workplaces thrive when they accept and respect diversity among employees. An employee's gender and sexual orientation are essential parts of their identity that need to be accepted, respected, and empathized. 

LGBTQ+ Employee Challenges

Employees who belong to the LGBTQ+ community need to be supported without judgment. But in many situations, the community members are stigmatized, even in workplaces, owing to their gender and sexuality. They are sometimes subjected to social isolation if they reveal their identity and orientation to their colleagues. Many are also subjected to curiosity harassment, where other employees ask unwanted questions to employees belonging to the community. McKinsey’s report suggests that LGBTQIA+ community members, especially women, are underrepresented in workplaces, which leads to social isolation. Many are also subjected to microaggression and sexual harassment. Also, according to a report by UCLA, William's Institute of Law, about 46% of LGBTQIA+ employees encountered unfair treatment in their lifetime, and many reported encouraging covering behavior to save themselves from discrimination.

Owing to the discrimination and harassment, many community members do not come out at their workplaces, as mentioned above. However not embracing their true self causes a lot of stress and mental health distress, and many may suffer from gender dysphoria and depression. 

Role of Allyship in community members’ mental health

In such scenarios, community members need the help of other employees who can act as a support system and help extend their privilege to the community members. They are called employee allies. Allyship is a continuous relationship between privileged groups and community members to create inclusive, safe spaces in the organization to support members' health physically and mentally.
It's important to note that allyship includes being empathetic, consistent, and active. Some allies may become allies for their convenience and their status symbol. Such types of allyship are performative and not authentic. Experts suggest that there are two types of allyship - performative allyship and authentic allyship. 

While performative allies are often inconsistent and unaware of the community's actual needs, authentic allies become aware of their own biases first. With self-awareness, they gain knowledge about the needs of the community, the types of discrimination they encounter, and their unique mental health challenges and strive hard to help. They are even amenable to community members expressing that their help is not up to the mark. They take the feedback and continue to offer support. To help LGBTQIA+ employees' mental health, they listen patiently to their concerns, champion their rights, and build a supportive ecosystem through the establishment of peer support groups within organizations.

Sometimes, members need help in simple ways, and the allies do just that. Simple gestures like acknowledgment in corridors, conversations during coffee and lunch breaks, regular check-ins about their work, etc, will help community members feel happy and secure.

Some allies even advocate for LGBTQIA+ community employee rights with leaders. They bring to the leaders' notice community members' needs and accommodations, helping them get the accessibility they need. When the needs of LGBTQIA+ employees are met, it will relieve a huge amount of physical and mental stress they experience. Additionally, allies ensure that community members have access to resources that support them and co-create stories of lived experiences to help other community members who may have similar experiences.

Many organizations champion allies because they not only help community members overcome mental health issues but also help them grow, improve performance, and develop job satisfaction, which would, in turn, help the organization succeed. 

However, it's always important to remember that allyship is not about using one's privilege to help the LGBTQIA+ by providing a solution that the ally thinks are right for them. It's about developing awareness of their needs by asking the members what they need and then taking their help in co-creating a solution for them.