Founder Bernadette Smith Featured in Forbes
Forbes magazine recently profiled Equality Institute founder Bernadette Smith in this piece titled, “How Bernadette Smith, Founder Of Equality Institute, Trains Businesses To Treat People Better.”
5 things / Out & Equal Workplace Summit
I was at the Out & Equal Workplace Summit last week representing the Chicagoland chapter (I'm co-chair), and heard Adam Rippon speak. I was impressed by the Olympic medalist who reminded us, "We all have a voice, no matter how big or how small it may feel. Even if one person is listening, they are still listening."
I think it's an important message in a time where our world feels so divided. I'd love to hear: how are you are using your voice for the greater good?
Here are a few things you might find interesting this month:
the 5 Ally Actions weekly newsletter: bite size tips for being a better ally
TransTech Social Enterprises: an incubator with a focus on economically empowering the Trans community. Their work is deeply inspiring.
Amazon secretly developed an artificial intelligence recruiting tool that turned out to be deeply biased against women candidates. They scrapped it. This is an interesting case study.
We're all doing good work, and I hope you continue to stay inspired. Thank you for being a passionate ally and advocate for inclusion.
5 things / new book
I'm halfway through writing a new book whose working title is Un-Assuming Assumptions. It's about the blurred lines which occur at work because the boundaries of gender have changed. The book focuses on transgender and non-binary concerns as well as #MeToo and unconscious bias. I am looking for more stories to include in the book, so if any of this resonates with you, please respond and let's talk!
Here are some of the latest LGBTQ weddings, events, and travel headlines:
India overturned a colonial-era law which made homosexuality illegal. This is HUGE news for the world's second largest country. I've had clients honeymoon there, and know this very exciting news will make LGBTQ couples feel much safer traveling there.
I wrote a guest article for Meetings & Conventions Magazine on 5 Best Practices for Creating LGBTQ-Inclusive Meetings and Events. You can read the article here.
In the cutest wedding I've ever seen, two grooms dressed up as Woody and Buzz Lightyear and asked their guests to dress as other Disney characters. You've got to see this one!
Finally, a few weeks ago, I was honored as a Notable LGBT Executive by Crain's Chicago Business Journal. I'm delighted to be among an impressive list of folks who are taking leadership towards equity and equality in the Chicago community and beyond.
5 things / open to all
I hope you've been enjoying the summer. I took time off to spend with my son and we had some great camping trips, beach outings, and water park adventures. It's my favorite time of year.
Here are some really interesting LGBTQ wedding/travel updates you might enjoy:
If you are a business with a storefront, whether you work for a venue, florist, etc, use Yelp to send a signal that your business is Open to All. Simply log in to your Yelp account (and if you don't have one, this is good time to do it) and check the box Open to All (also check the box gender neutral restrooms if that applies).
The New York Times has an interesting piece, "A Gay Wedding Is Just a Wedding" that I'd encourage you to read. It talks about many of the trends we've uncovered over 14 years in business. The article isn't written for wedding professionals, however - and you should know that while yes, a gay wedding is just a wedding, couples are using LGBT-specific search terms in google to find vendors. Your SEO still matters.
The heartwarming story of the month comes from the UK, where a gay man and lesbian who met in the air force and pretended to be a straight couple for years, had a double wedding to their same-sex partners. It's a great story!
Finally, have you shared our LGBTQ engaged and newlywed survey with your couples yet? Please pass along the link so we can continue to provide you with the most up to date data that will only help your business!
5 things / pride
Pride month may be over, but there are numerous things your company can do throughout the year to support your LGBTQ employees and customers and create a culture of inclusion. Why is this important? Let's make the case using some recent research:
According to Hornet/Kantar research, the U.S. global LGBTQ+ population is 32 million people and has nearly the same market value as African-American and Hispanic consumers.
Yet, according to the Human Rights Campaign, nearly half remain closeted at work, a number that has hardly changed in a decade.
Although, according to Out Leadership research, more than 60% of employees believe that being out at work has improved their ability to do business and engage with customers, which translates to an increased bottom line.
So, how can your business better support its LGBTQ+ employees and customers, which ties directly to an increased bottom line? Let's talk. Our blog is full of best practices. And our network of experts is ready to serve.