Page 92 - Extra_Bold_movie-clip-edit

coming out at work
TEXT BY LESLIE XIA
The process of coming out is a deeply personal experience that often takes multiple steps as you come out to different people in your life, starting with yourself, and then to your friends, your family, and your colleagues. Introducing your pronouns can be another step in this process of becoming normalized within your relationships with others.
There is no proper way to introduce your pronouns. Institutional spaces are often heteropatriarchal and do not have systems in place that allow for a formal process to acknowledge queer, trans, nonbinary, intersex, and other marginalized bodies.
170
In the US, the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights is still happening today. The historic Stone- wall Uprising started on June 28, 1969,
led by queer people of color, igniting the fight for gay rights. In 2003, same-sex relationships were deemed legal in the US Supreme Court case Lawrence v. Texas.
In 2015, gay marriage was deemed legal
in the US Supreme Court case Obergefell v. Hodges. In 2020, the US Supreme Court amended the US Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include work protections for LGBTIA+ folk, who can no longer be reprimanded
or fired based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
safety first Coming out is
a personal decision. Even within a single region such as the state of Florida, communities vary in terms of tolerance.
In some areas of the US and in many parts of the world, coming out in the work- place isn’t taken lightly, and you will have to think carefully before deciding to out yourself. Often, LGBTQIA+ people default to the gender they “present” as and do not mention their sexual orientation or gender identity for their own safety and to avoid criticism and questions from colleagues.
Once you feel that your workplace is a safe space, there are several ways to begin introducing your pronouns. These suggestions are not a blueprint. Use your judgment to find what works for you!
ILLUSTRATION BY JENNIFER TOBIAS