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June, recognized as Pride Month, serves as a celebration for the LGBTQIA+ community, symbolizing sexual and gender diversity. However, it transcends mere festivities; it's a time for advocating for the rights and acknowledgment of individuals within these communities. To address these issues, on June 26th, the JCCM hosted a panel discussion featuring dedicated advocates such as Mylène de Repentigny-Corbeil, President & CEO of Les3sex*, Olivia Baker, Program Manager at Fondation Émergence, and Dupre Latour, CEO of DupréLatour Cosmetics, an activist and community worker with AGIR Mo.
When it comes to sexual and gender diversity, many communities are grouped together under the acronym LGBTQIA+ or various derivatives thereof. In today's society, there's often a conflation between sex assigned at birth, gender identity (i.e., how we internally define ourselves), gender expression (i.e., how we present ourselves externally), and sexual orientation. However, these four concepts are distinct and not always congruent. For instance, a person assigned "female" at birth may not necessarily identify as "female" as they grow older; not all women conform to stereotypical norms such as wearing pink dresses, makeup, and long hair; and a highly feminine woman may indeed be a lesbian.
In its latest campaign, Fondation Émergence highlighted the persistence of many fears associated with the LGBTQIA+ community. These include the fear of the so-called "Great Replacement", as well as the unfounded fear that the mere exposure of information about LGBTQIA+ people would lead to a generalization of this identity. These fears have recently resurfaced with the adoption of laws such as the "Don't Say Gay Bill" in the USA, the anti-gay propaganda law in Russia and the movement against storytelling by drag queens in Quebec.
Regrettably, this reality persists within corporate environments as well. A recurring issue in workplaces is the frequent linking of the LGBTQIA+ community solely with matters of sexuality, which creates discomfort among those affected by this perception and their colleagues.
According to Dupré Latour, ignorance and denial regarding the existence of diverse gender identities remain persistent barriers. In her perspective, it's imperative for organizations to intensify efforts in fostering inclusive environments by implementing policies and practices that uphold equality and respect for all employees, irrespective of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
The President & CEO of Les3sex* emphasizes, however, that we are all susceptible to bias, and it is our responsibility to engage in introspection. Individuals within the LGBTQIA+ community may also hold their own stereotypes and prejudices. Therefore, it is crucial to exercise caution to prevent falling into the trap of dichotomizing individuals as either aggressors or victims.
DupréLatour Cosmetics, activist and community worker at AGIR Montréal
Training undoubtedly plays a key role in changing mindsets, not least by lightening the burden of education on the people concerned.
From this point of view, it is always better for an organization to use training provided by specialized organizations than to leave the educational burden on the shoulders of people from diverse backgrounds.
Tokenism is a recently introduced term derived from the word token. The term refers to a practice adopted by certain groups or organizations to include people from minority backgrounds, in order to present themselves as inclusive.
These under-represented groups can include women, visible minorities, people from aboriginal communities, people of sexual and gender diversity, and many others. However, this practice can be problematic and has several drawbacks when used for superficial reasons or to improve the organization's image without genuine commitment.
"We appreciate the fact that some organizations recognize the presence of diversity in their business, but it goes beyond displaying a rainbow flag. We need to look at internal policies and how people from under-represented communities are treated within organizations themselves. Intersectionality invites us to recognize that employees‧e‧s experiences are not always homogeneous and that discrimination can overlap. Knowing this, I believe it's important to have an impact tailored to different intersectional identities," concludes Dupré.
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