For a lesbian colleague (or anyone in a same-sex relationship), they have to make an assessment as to whether or not it feels safe to reveal that partner’s sex. For example, if in a casual conversation a heterosexual colleague shares where they visited at the weekend with their wife/husband/partner, there is likely no moment of hesitation as to whether or not to reveal the sex of that partner. To be clear, bringing your whole self to work in terms of sexual orientation is not about sharing your sex life with colleagues! It is about openly being who you are. It is important for an individual’s wellbeing for them to feel included and welcomed. Psychological safety is something that Mike Robbins and others have identified as essential for effective team working and performance. Most concerning is the fact that 53% of lesbians reported experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace, compared to 41% of women overall (62% of bisexual women expressed this).įrom the McKinsey report, we can see that almost a quarter of lesbians do not feel they can bring their ‘whole selves’ to work and that the workplace does not offer ‘ psychological safety’, or indeed physical safety given the proportions of incidents of harassment. 24% of lesbians reported hearing demeaning remarks about them or people like them, compared to 16% of women overall. employees, 23% of lesbians reported feeling that they could not talk about themselves or their life outside of work, compared to 10% of women overall (26% bisexual women expressed this). McKinsey’s Women in the Workplace Report 2019 illuminates some of the ways in which lesbians experience the workplace differently – and more negatively – to women in general. Why your organisation should be celebrating it: inclusion and wellbeing In 2020, U.K.-based DIVA, ‘Europe’s leading magazine for lesbian and bi women’, is making a week of it, with a planned launch in Parliament (revised, now, due to the Covid-19 Global pandemic). In an era of what feels like an ever-increasing number and variety of awareness days, Lesbian Visibility Day seems similarly to have slipped through the net – until now. For example, while sexual activity between men was outlawed in the U.K., sex between women was never illegal – it was simply never mentioned. This invisible Lesbian Visibility Day raises interesting questions: why have we never seen our workplaces or wider culture mark this day? Is it important? Lesbian invisibility has a long history. We are not alone, as this article on After Ellen, ‘the leading site for lesbians worldwide’, attests. ![]() None of my lesbian friends had heard of it either. It is somewhat ironic that I, as a lesbian who has researched lesbian visibility on screen had never heard of it and found out by chance on social media. ![]() However, there is no reliable source with detailed information on its origin. Internet searches tell us this international awareness day originated in 2008. I became aware of Lesbian Visibility Day in 2019.
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