The Disneyland
Main Street fire engine has left the Anaheim, Calif.,
theme park only twice in the last 50 years--both times
to transport LGBT Disney employees in nearby Long
Beach's pride parade. This June marks the
seventh time that Kaiser Permanente employees in San
Francisco will march in their city's gay pride
parade. This year they're dressing as
vegetables and carrying signs that read "We're
steamed and we don't take long to prepare and
we're here, we're healthy, get used to it."
A decade ago it
was unheard-of for corporations to support and identify
with gay-themed activities to such a degree. But with the
rise of LGBT employee groups in major corporations,
showing your pride now has the blessing of higher-ups.
"Corporations are very necessary to the success of
modern pride festivals and parades," says Jere
Keys, a spokesman for Out and Equal Workplace
Advocates. "The more businesses continue to interact
with the LGBT community, increase awareness, increase
inclusivity, the better it is for the entire LGBT
community."
Not so fast, says
Jamison Green, a board member at the nonprofit
Transgender Law and Policy Institute. "On one hand
it's a very positive thing," he says.
"On the other hand it can feel like a kind of
co-opting of queer culture, and that is conceptually
problematic. When it appears that they are cultivating
us to sell their product, that doesn't feel so
good to me."
Whatever the
motivation, U.S. corporations have become increasingly
accepting of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
workers. Danny Baker, director of operations and
finance at the Gender Public Advocacy Coalition, notes
that not only do many companies sponsor LGBT events and
support employee groups, more than 100 major corporations
now include gender identity in their nondiscrimination
policies. (And hundreds include sexual orientation.)
"This change in workplace culture has been
fueled in large part by the efforts of employee resource
groups that are educating employees, managers, and
executives during pride months and beyond," he
says.
It certainly
didn't happen overnight. Seven years ago
Kaiser's participation in the parade was
markedly different. "We started out with a
couple of drag queens and a couple of big hypodermic
needles," says Jeffery Sterman, public affairs
director for Kaiser Permanente, San Francisco.
Oh, how far
we've come. Here's a look at some gay-friendly
corporations and how they show their pride.
Bank of America
What they do:
The company's Pride
Resource Group's 16 regional chapters,
including New York City, Boston, and Charlotte, N.C., are
participating in parades and pride festivals. The Hartford,
Conn., group is sponsoring an LGBT film festival.
What they say:
"Bank of America really is
supportive of LGBT issues. We've got chapters all
across the country and what they are after is really
promoting an environment that attracts and retains
[diverse employees]."
--Jim Eckerle, senior vice president of
enterprise initiative delivery
DaimlerChrysler Corp.
What they do:
People of Diversity, an LGBT
employee resource group, is creating a 15-panel AIDS quilt
that will be on display at the Auburn Hills, Mich.,
headquarters in June. The quilt will be visible to the
11,000 employees who work in the building.
What they say:
"Diversity is a key guiding
principle at DaimlerChrysler--and it's the way
we do business."
--Tom LaSorda, president and CEO of the Chrysler Group
Cox Communications
What they do:
Cox puts its money where its
mouth is. This summer the company is sponsoring the San
Diego LGBT pride parade, the Pacific Pride
Foundation's AIDS Walk in Santa Barbara,
Calif., and the Kidz Korner at Nebraska's pride
festival in Omaha. Cox also underwrites the Human
Rights Campaign Louisiana and the annual Parenting
Conference of Rainbow Families, D.C.
What they say:
"Our approach to diversity
goes beyond platitudes about the right thing to do.
Diversity is part and parcel of our business goals,
and we believe it is integral to our ongoing success."
--David Grabert, director of media relations
The Walt Disney Co.
What they do:
Vehicles and dancers from the
Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif., will participate in
the Long Beach pride parade. Disneyland and Walt
Disney World family passes admit designated domestic
partners. And the Walt Disney Co. announced in April
that the Fairy Tale Wedding, a high-end theme park
commitment ceremony package previously available only
to straight couples, would immediately be extended to
same-sex couples as well.
What they say:
"Cast members [Walt Disney
Co. employees] can come up with ideas, develop their idea,
and go through the process of getting it approved and
making things happen. It sends a signal to all cast
members: You don't have to hide who you are. Be
yourself. The only thing that really matters is your
performance as a cast member."
--Rob Doughty, vice president of communications
and adviser to the Walt Disney Co. group Lesbian and Gay
United Employees
Gap Inc.
What they do:
Gap GEAR (Gay Employees and
Resources), founded in June 2006, will formally launch at
the company's San Francisco headquarters during
Pride Month in June. A panel of accomplished LGBT
professionals will share their paths to career growth
and discuss how their decision to be out hasn't
compromised their achievements. The group's 150
employees will publish feature articles, pride event
information, and profiles of LGBT leaders on the
company's intranet. And throughout June
employees can participate in a half-day volunteer
event to give back to San Francisco's LGBT
population.
What they say:
"In a company of more than
5,000 local employees, Gap GEAR provides LGBT employees an
excellent opportunity to meet other LGBT employees
that they may not meet within the normal course of
business. I am proud and happy to have met so many
LGBT employees, develop friendships, and work on common
goals that will support Gap Inc.'s LGBT
employees and business."
--David Barber, Gap GEAR chairperson
Kaiser Permanente
What they do:
More than 100 employees,
including at least one transgender physician, will
participate in the San Francisco gay pride parade. The
company will also have a sunscreen bar at the pride
festival. The KP Pride LGBT employee network has chapters
nationwide and is particularly active in California.
What they say:
"[The parade] is one of the
things for us that makes it really worthwhile. We have close
to a million people along the parade route and
we're always a very popular float. It's
a great way to get our brand out to the broader community."
--Jeffery Sterman, public affairs director for KP
San Francisco
Microsoft Corp.
What they do:
GLEAM (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual,
and Transgender Employees at Microsoft) has more than 700
members worldwide. The group educates the company on
LGBT issues, promotes equality in the workplace, and
provides professional and social support for LGBT
employees.
What they say:
"GLEAM is the face of
Microsoft to the local, national, and international LGBT
community. We volunteer, we sponsor, and we support
LGBT organizations and causes that benefit our
communities and families."
--Jen Olson, GLEAM community outreach codirector
Raytheon Co.
What they do:
The aerospace company's Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Allies network has
six active chapters. The Boston chapter plans to
participate in the city's AIDS Walk, Raytheon North
Texas will host a brown-bag panel discussion featuring GLBTA
leaders, and Raytheon Aurora in Colorado will head to
the Denver pride festival. To celebrate their
anniversary, the members of GLBTA Tucson will hold a
dinner and present an award to an employee who has made
major contributions to LGBT inclusion at Raytheon.
What they say:
"From Huntsville, Ala., to El
Segundo, Calif., we have planned a variety of
wonderful activities that will give our LGBT employees
and their allies a chance to pause and celebrate both the
progress in the company toward LGBT workplace excellence and
in our communities at large."
--Louise Young, president of Raytheon Global GLBTA
Whirlpool Corp.
What they do:
Originally known as the Gay and Lesbian
Organization at Whirlpool, the company's LGBT
employee resource group changed its name to Whirlpool
Pride Community to be more inclusive of straight allies.
Four years ago the group sponsored a fund-raising event to
help create the Out and Affirmation Center, part of
YWCA Berrien County in southwest Michigan.
What they say:
"It's important that
everyone feels they can bring their entire self to
work. It is your choice to be self-identified or not
at Whirlpool. It's about creating a culture where
it's OK and safe to self-identify; it's
not going to jeopardize your career path in any way."
--Mark McLane, director of global diversity and inclusion
