Over the past decades, LGBTI+ people have achieved significant progress in securing legal rights in many parts of the world. Despite greater visibility, their lives continue to be shaped by a range of adverse and potentially traumatic experiences, often fueled by a cisheteronormative culture that legitimizes violence, discrimination, and invisibility.

Workplace discrimination against LGBTI+ individuals often takes the form of microaggressions, derogatory jokes, rumors, stalled career progression, and social exclusion, creating a hostile environment. These attitudes not only diminish motivation, satisfaction, and engagement at work — leading many to leave their positions — but also undermine overall productivity within companies.

In the European context, data from the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights’ LGBTI Survey II (2020) reveals that: 53% of LGBTI+ people have heard offensive comments or jokes in the workplace; 26% of trans people were harassed at work in the past year; only 36% of LGBTI+ individuals feel they can be completely open about who they are at work. In Portugal, around 21% of LGBTI+ people report having been discriminated against at work due to their sexual orientation — this number rises sharply for trans and intersex individuals.

Ongoing exposure to prejudice and exclusion results in physical (e.g., insomnia, appetite changes, weakened immune system), psychological (e.g., anxiety, depression, or even post-traumatic stress disorder), and cognitive (e.g., memory or reasoning difficulties) impacts. This environment of constant vigilance and fear–often triggered by the mere possibility of revealing one’s sexual orientation or gender identity–also contributes to suicidal ideation, with trans and non-binary individuals especially affected. In Portugal, 38% of LGBTI+ people reported suicidal thoughts in the past year; the numbers are significantly higher for trans (50–66%) and non-binary (53%) individuals.

Despite this alarming reality, June — Pride Month — brings a surge of symbolic gestures from companies: rainbow logos, themed campaigns, special events. However, when these actions are not accompanied by consistent practices throughout the year, they risk becoming shallow and performative.

True inclusion goes beyond symbolic visibility: it demands sustained commitment, structural transformation, and the courage to ethically and intentionally confront the barriers that still limit the full participation of LGBTI+ individuals in the world of work.

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Building Inclusive Work Environments

Creating an inclusive workplace is a continuous process. It requires leadership involvement and the commitment of every individual. Formal equality alone is not enough — we must also foster conditions where everyone feels safe, respected, and valued.

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Organizational Policies and Culture: Concrete Strategies

Companies play a key role in building more welcoming environments. This involves a coherent and long-term commitment. More specifically, several reflections and changes should be considered:

• Implement clear anti-discrimination policies, with effective reporting and follow-up mechanisms, ensuring protection across all aspects of professional life.
• Create safe spaces where individuals feel comfortable expressing who they are, without fear of retaliation or exclusion.
• Review recruitment, internal communication, and career progression practices to ensure fair, transparent, and accessible processes for people of diverse gender identities and expressions.
• Invest in ongoing training on diversity, equity, and intersectionality, engaging leadership and teams across the board.
• Adopt inclusive language and practices in policies, benefits, and communications (e.g., recognizing self-defined names and pronouns, ensuring facilities and dress codes that respect diversity).
• Promote genuine and meaningful representation, avoiding tokenism and valuing the presence and voices of LGBTI+ individuals at all levels of the organization.

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Individual Responsibility in Promoting Safety

Beyond institutional frameworks, individual actions matter. The workplace well-being of LGBTI+ people is deeply tied to the ability to live their identity authentically–without fear of judgment or discrimination. Small gestures of support from colleagues can make a significant difference:

• Respect non-conforming gender identities, ensuring all individuals are treated with dignity (e.g., using correct pronouns, names, and acknowledging personal experiences).
• Avoid cisheteronormative assumptions, such as presuming everyone is heterosexual or cisgender.
• Refrain from invasive questions — respect boundaries and privacy.
• Challenge stereotypes and reductive language — don’t reduce anyone to their sexual orientation or gender identity.
• Listen and respond to the actual needs of LGBTI+ colleagues, adjusting language and behavior to foster empathy and responsiveness.
• Offer support, where appropriate, in connecting with families and communities, and refer to relevant services when needed.
• View mistakes as part of the learning journey, cultivating a culture of humility and continuous improvement.

These practices not only enhance the quality of life for LGBTI+ people, but also strengthen the human fabric of the organization. Workplaces where everyone feels seen and respected are, inevitably, places where people work better.

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The Role of Allies

The active support of allies–people who, while not part of the LGBTI+ community, consciously commit to equality and justice — is crucial, and their role goes far beyond the workplace. Allyship is impactful when it extends to everyday life: in conversations with friends and family, in consumer choices, in public and digital spaces.

Not all LGBTI+ individuals feel comfortable being visible or exposed, which makes it all the more important for allies to use their privileges to help create safer and more respectful environments. There are many simple, tangible ways to be an ally:

• Support businesses and projects led by LGBTI+ people.
• Seek ongoing education and credible information — without placing the burden of education on LGBTI+ individuals.
• Promote inclusive practices in everyday language, invitations, and interactions.
• Speak up against discriminatory comments or behaviors, even when no LGBTI+ people are present.
• Publicly identify as an ally, signaling support clearly and consistently.
• Participate in community events and initiatives, showing solidarity.
• Direct resources and consumer choices towards inclusive practices and companies.

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Conclusion: From Visibility to Structural Transformation

LGBTI+ inclusion in the workplace must not be seasonal, superficial, or decorative. It is a continuous commitment that requires listening, humility, and structural change. Going beyond Pride means recognizing that authentic diversity is built every single day–through decisions, values, and organizational culture. The rainbow is not an accessory: it is a commitment.

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