Trans issues are Human, not political

My friends and I are celebrating PRIDE at the Ventura County Government Center. They do work in public health and patients with HIV/AIDS.

As a DEIB-focused organization If you want to check a few boxes every year during Pride, you will only stay at “D” for the next few years catching up.

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Client: Celia, can you pls not bring up the political slide in your presentation?

Me: You mean the 280+ anti-transgender bills in healthcare, school and work?

Client: Yeah, that one. I don’t want to offend anyone.

Me: I understand. But isn’t that the purpose of your DEIB session? To instigate tough conversations in a safe environment?

Client: Unfortunately, we have some conservative folks in our company

Me: OK, I will remove that slide but I will share my story which will help your folks understand that these are human rights issues not political.

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Your employees cannot pretend to be inclusive in the workplace when they fundamentally have a bias towards LGBTQ+ employees at work.

- Unless we create a safe environment of trust and respect, we will never value each other.

- Unless we stop assuming and start listening to each, we will never find that common ground.

- Unless we see each other eye to eye and learn to smile when we disagree, we will continue to live in doubt, fear, and hatred.