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| Sexual diversity in the workplace, it pays off! |
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| The 2012 Campaign | A welcoming workplace | International Day Against Homophobia | Campaign objectives | Resources |
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| High-resolution |
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| >> Download the brochure (PDF) |
| >> Partners for 2012 |
| >> Version française |
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A word from the
Labour Minister of Quebec |
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On behalf of the government of Quebec, it gives me great pleasure as Labour Minister to support the campaign to fight homophobia called Sexual diversity in the workplace. It pays off! | |
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| Our workplaces must be welcoming places that are open to sexual diversity so employers and, most importantly, all workers are given a chance to reach their full potential. The fights led by the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities have reaped their rewards and our workplaces are now more accepting of sexual diversity. |
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| There is still work to do and I would like to commend initiatives like yours that directly contribute to achieving social equality. Congratulations! |
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Lise Thériault
Labour Minister |
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>> The 2012 Campaign The theme of the 2012 International Day Against Homophobia campaign is: Sexual diversity in the workplace, it pays off!
The goal of the campaign is to point out the positive aspects of sexual diversity in the workplace as well as its benefits for employers, companies, institutions and workers alike.
This is true for all workplaces. Although it is almost impossible in our social context to know exactly how many LGBT people there are, it is commonly thought they make up about 10% of the population.
The same should be true in the workplace even if it is not outwardly visible. What employer, company or institution can afford not to care about the wellbeing of 10% of their human resources? |
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| Staff retention pays off! |
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| More often than not, companies who provide a workplace that does not welcome LGBT lose workers without knowing why. |
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| Productivity losses cost a lot! |
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| Research generally shows that homophobia in the workplace can lead to lower productivity, undermine people in sexual minority groups and impede their full potential at work. |
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| Discrimination costs a lot! |
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| Any kind of discrimination in the workplace is expensive for companies. Mental harassment and psychological disorders, bullying and professionnal psychological illnesses are just a few of the damaging side effects of discrimination. |
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| Self-realization pays off! |
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| It is well known that the best way to motivate workers is to give them a path to self-realization. Feeling good in the workplace and comfortable in their relations with their employer and co-workers are invaluable factors of self-realization. And an open-minded workplace is an incentive to join a company. |
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| The Bee |
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| Social and productive creatures, bees are the quintessential symbol of work. A beehive is like a little factory. | |
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| Like heterosexuality, homosexuality cannot simply be reduced to sexuality. It has more to do with a person’s identity. |
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Sexual orientation: Sexual orientation is a sexual attraction to people of the opposite sex, the same sex or both – heterosexuality, homosexuality and bisexuality. Gender identity: Gender identity refers to people who identity with the opposite of their biological gender. Sexual diversity: Sexual diversity and sexual minorities are expressions used to describe people who are: lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders and transsexuals (LGBT). |
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| >> A welcoming workplace |
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| It’s about attitudes |
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| In open societies where the law protects LGBT rights, workplaces are adjusting to this reality. Much progress has been made and no one would dare be openly hostile toward sexual diversity or sexually diverse people. But beyond the law, it’s about attitudes. |
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| A positive work environment happens through positive attitudes. The worst enemy is still indifference. Saying nothing, seeing nothing and doing nothing. This indifference usually comes when people are uncomfortable with the sexual orientation of workers and it prevents closer relationships and full integration. |
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| Balancing work and family |
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| Gay men, and to a greater degree gay women, also have to balance work and family. We should not always assume that someone listed as single in the employer’s records does not have parental responsibilities. |
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| Feeling good in your environment |
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| Feeling good in your work environment is crucial. LGBT do not choose their sexual orientation. But they do choose whether or not to hide it. People who trust their co-workers usually choose to tell them and feel relieved when they do. It helps them build complicit relationships and gain everyone’s trust. |
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| Coming out in the workplace |
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| Companies, institutions and employers can provide welcoming workplaces by reflecting a positive attitude and creating work environments that are conducive to their employees being free to reveal their sexual orientation. Lastly, it is always up to the person to disclose their sexual orientation to whom they want and when they want. |
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>> International Day Against Homophobia
The annual campaigns to fight homophobia come to a head on May 17 with the International Day Against Homophobia.
It is a symbolic date. On May 17, 1990 the World Health Organization (WHO) removed homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses.
The idea to hold an annual day to fight homophobia originated in Canada. It was started by Fondation Émergence in Quebec in 2003. With the participation of partners, this national day has spread to Belgium and France and a host of other countries, making it an international day.
The annual campaigns to fight homophobia belong to everyone. Fondation Émergence chooses the annual theme, produces promotional materials and invites people from all walks of life to take part in the campaign, organize activities and spread the word. |
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| Themes of the annual campaigns |
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>> Campaign objectives |
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| For the workplace |
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The objective of the campaign Sexual diversity in the workplace. It pays off! is to: |
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promote the idea that fighting homophobia in the workplace is profitable for companies, institutions and employers; |
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help gays, lesbians and transgender people reach their full potential in the workplace; |
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motivate more workers to stay in local towns instead of fleeing to big cities because of their sexual orientation; |
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inform and raise the awareness of all workers and employers about the consequences of homophobia; |
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encourage employers to adopt policies that discourage homophobia in their workplace; |
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make LGBT workers feel even more included in the businesses they work for; |
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motivate people to start LGBT committees in the workplace, for example Workplace Pride Committees and LGBT Committees in labour unions. |
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Registry of Homophobic Acts (RHA) |
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Never accept being a victim or witness of a homophobic act without reporting it, no matter what type of act it is. Many people are afraid of the repercussions if they file a complaint. You can submit an anonymous confidential statement, which will be filed in the Registry of Homophobic Acts so we can form an accurate depiction of the problem and figure out how to resolve it.
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