DEI2503. Belonging - Are you at the table or on the menu?

Belonging - Are you at the table or on the menu? Engage is happening in Pride Month and it's a perfect time to highlight a segment of the community that's often overlooked, even in DEI discussions. There are a lot of reasons why this happens, but one important reason is because so few people have the opportunity to hear our stories coming from LGBTQ+ members in the accounting profession. We'll be honest, it's not always comfortable to share our stories in a public setting because of fears of damaging our professional opportunities, fears of making other people uncomfortable, and because sometimes we're not even out to our family and friends. One of our goals is to help you be more comfortable and open to hearing our stores when these opportunities come up with your colleagues, clients, and even within your families. In this session, we will explore the critical subjects of belonging, diversity, and inclusion, with a focus on the LGBTQ+ community. We'll delve into the dynamics of intersectionality and the impact of majority privilege, highlighting the challenges that hinder true inclusivity. By discussing our experiences of being gay in the accounting profession, we will provide strategies to ensure active participation and meaningful impact of LGBTQ+ voices with an aim to foster genuine representation. Through our personal stories we'll give you practical steps on how to create a genuinely inclusive and equitable environment where diversity is celebrated.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify and Understand Exclusion Mechanisms: Participants will be able to identify how current DEI initiatives may unintentionally exclude gay men and other LGBTQ+ individuals by focusing predominantly on gender, racial issues, and other aspects of marginalized communities. They will gain an understanding of Intersectionality, Internal Bias, and Majority Privilege and how they play in this exclusion.
• Develop and Implement Inclusive DEI Strategies: Participants will learn actionable strategies to broaden their DEI efforts to be more inclusive of all minority groups, including the LGBTQ+ community. They will also leave with practical tools and approaches to create a more supportive and equitable workplace for the LGBTQ+ community.
• Participants will learn from our stories and experiences and gain tips on how to navigate communicating with coworkers and clients who are in the LGBTQ+ community.