Exploring Diversity: Navigating the LGBTQ+ Landscape

LGBTQ+ is a term that stands for the array of people who make up the queer, meaning non-heterosexual and non-cis-gendered community, including but not limited to: lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, undecided, asexual, pan-sexual, etc. Keeping in mind that all aspects of gender reside on a spectrum, let’s differentiate between the four aspects of gender:

• Sexual Orientation. This aspect of gender encompasses attraction. When a person is attracted to someone of the same gender, they are gay or lesbian. When men are attracted to women or women are attracted to men, they are considered heterosexual. People attracted to both men and women are bi-sexual, while people who are attracted to anyone on the gender spectrum are pan-sexual. Someone not attracted to anyone, regardless of gender, is asexual.
• Gender Identity. A person whose identity may not match their genitalia at birth may categorize themselves as transgender, genderqueer, genderfluid, androgynous, “two-spirited,” or something else. If a person’s perception of their gender matches their biological sex characteristics from birth, then they are cis-gendered.
• Gender Expression. Expression refers to how a person presents their gender through their outward appearance and/or behavior. Expression is the most malleable aspect of gender since a change of clothes or hairstyle can alter whether a person presents themselves as feminine, masculine, androgynous, or anywhere on the spectrum.
• Biological Sex. Most people are born with either external male or female genitalia which determines biological sex. A small percentage of people are born as intersex with both external male and female genitalia and/or internal sex characteristics (such as ovaries). A small percentage may also have genetic indicators (XXY or XYY) that do not match their external sexual characteristics.

LGBTQ+ people have higher rates of unemployment (9%) compared to the rest of the American labor force (3.7%), and the unemployment rate is even higher for transgender and non-binary presenting people (15%). LGBTQ+ folks are also more likely to be the victims of crime as well as discrimination in the workplace. However, LGBTQ+ individuals who work in environments that are inclusive and protect them from discrimination report higher levels of engagement, job satisfaction, and commitment to their employers.

To foster those higher levels of engagement in LGBTQ+ employees, banks should follow the best practices for inclusion:

• Refrain from Making Assumptions. Until an individual tells you they are transgender, bi-sexual, gay/lesbian, etc., no one can say for sure because gender has such a wide spectrum in each of the four aspects.
• Use Respectful Language. Use an employee’s preferred pronouns. No matter their gender expression, the best practice is to ask each individual the pronouns they prefer. A manager can easily introduce this topic by volunteering their own pronouns and then asking the other individual for their preference; more and more corporate signature blocks and LinkedIn profiles contain preferred pronouns. Additionally, a person who is transitioning to another gender may not have yet changed their legal name. Use the name the employee asks to be called regardless of the name on their insurance or payroll paperwork.
• Respect Boundaries. Transgender people do not owe anyone an explanation of their transition, any procedures they may or may not have undergone or intend to undergo, or their gender presentation. It’s illegal for employers to ask employees about their sexual orientation, and employees are not obligated to disclose but should feel comfortable to do so without facing repercussions. For many LGBTQ+ individuals, “coming out” is not a one-time occurrence but happens over and over again. Just because an LGBTQ+ individual might have “come out” to their manager does not mean the manager is free to broadcast that information to the rest of the workforce. It’s acceptable to ask, when someone does disclose, the degree of privacy that they would prefer to maintain or whether they are comfortable with others in the workplace knowing their sexual orientation.
• Offer Gender-Neutral Benefits. In addition to dads taking parental leave, ensure that your bank has policies in place that are relevant to LGBTQ+, such as bereavement leave for the loss of a same-sex partner, or parental leave for adoptive parents, medical coverage for transition procedures and care, and psychological counseling for gender affirmation.
• Build LGBTQ+ Skills into DEI. LGBTQ+ employees report that DEI programs in the workplace have more positive experiences overall. An existing (or beginning) DEI program should also incorporate raising the awareness levels of cis-gendered, heterosexual employees of the specific struggles that LGBTQ+ employees face in the workplace. DEI programming should address myths and stereotypes about LGBTQ+ groups and facilitate exercises that increase everyone’s comfort level. These skills will also translate into better engagement with LGBTQ+ customers and helping them feel welcome in your bank.
• Inclusive Communication. Both internal and external communications should publicize the bank’s LGBTQ+ policies and programs. For example, LGBTQ+ employees may wish to use their volunteer hours to support events in the LGBTQ+ community or employees should understand that their partners are welcome at company events along with heterosexual spouses. Inclusive communication also means providing channels through which LGBTQ+ employees (or customers) can address concerns, needs, and complaints with management.

In general, inclusive policies that support LGBTQ+ employees are beneficial for all employees in the workplace. In competitive environments for talent, having an LGBTQ+ friendly bank is good business practice and enhances the bank’s reputation as welcoming for everyone.

About Naomi: Naomi Mercer is senior vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion at ABA. She recently transitioned from a 25-year military career where she served as an assistant professor in the Department of English and Philosophy at the United States Military Academy and in the Pentagon running the Army’s gender integration and religious accommodation programs. Her educational background includes a doctorate in literary studies with a minor in gender and women’s studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an executive certificate in strategic diversity and inclusion from Georgetown University’s Institute for Transformational Leadership. She is the author of the academic monograph, Toward Utopia (2015).