Shining Light on Pride Month: Why It’s Important to Support LGBTQ+ Business Owners

June is pride month! It’s a great time of year to acknowledge and celebrate members of the LGBTQ+ community. As an ally, I find it important to shine light on Pride month and understand the hardships members of the LGBTQ+ community face, especially as it pertains to business.

According to this source, 23% of LGBTQ+ employees experienced discrimination at the workplace, but transgender employees specifically reported much higher proportions of discrimination (31%) in the United States. When applying for jobs, nearly one-quarter (23.7%) of LGBTQ+ Americans have experienced discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. It’s disheartening when anyone experiences any form of discrimination. Keep reading to learn about some LGBTQ+ members who have overcome adversity and made a name for themselves in the world.

Famous LGBTQ+ People in Business

Tim Cook, CEO, Apple: According to Investopedia, Tim Cook is the CEO of Apple and has always lived a private life. He released an essay published by Bloomberg in 2014, making him the first openly gay CEO of a Fortune 500 company. He came out after reading letters from kids struggling with their sexuality. In the essay, he wrote: “If hearing that the CEO of Apple is gay can help someone struggling to come to terms with who he or she is, or bring comfort to anyone who feels alone, or inspire people to insist on their equality, then it’s worth the tradeoff with my own privacy.”

Jeffrey Gennette, CEO, Macy’s: According to Investopedia, Gennette began his career as a retail associate at Macy’s West in San Francisco in 1983. In 2003, he became the executive vice president and director of Macy’s Central in Atlanta, moving up to CEO of Macy’s Inc. in 2017 after a short term as president of the company. As No.144 on the Fortune 500 list, Macy’s reported revenue of more than $25 billion in 2021 and has a market valuation of more than $7 billion. In addition to instilling an LGBTQ+-friendly company culture, Gennette included a give-back program to raise funds and awareness for the Trevor Project—the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning young people.

Beth Ford, CEO, Land O’Lakes: According to Investopedia, Beth Ford serves as president and CEO of Land O’Lakes, Inc., a Fortune 500 company, a Fortune 200 food production and agribusiness company, and a 100-year-old farmer-owned cooperative. Ford joined Land O’Lakes in 2011 and was named CEO in 2018, making her the first openly LGBTQ+ woman to helm a Fortune 500 company.

LGBTQ+ Resources

Inclusion in the workplace is still a cause for concern for members of the LGBTQ+ community. To help these members feel seen and heard, there are a variety of organizations that were designed to be a resource for them. Some of them are as follows:

• LGBTQ Inclusion Hub for Small Businesses
• National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce
• Affinity Inc.
• Open for Business
• OutProfessionals
• SBA’s Network for LGBTQ+ Businesses
• Lesbians Who Tech
• OutBuru
• StartOut
• Reaching Out

Click here for more information.

How to Be An Ally

To help this marginalized community feel supported, make an effort to be an ally. Show up during Pride month and beyond, support LGBTQ+-owned businesses, and update your business policies to ensure equality is at the forefront. Many businesses alter their logo to a rainbow version to showcase their support. Regardless of how you choose to let your allyship be known, let members of the community know you see, appreciate, and respect them. A little kindness can go a long way!