LGBTQ+ Issues

Whether it’s for the first time ever or the first time today, coming out is an act of courage and liberation. 

“Hey Aunt Lauren. It’s so awesome that you came out to Grandma and Poppa and I hope you know we all love you very much.” This was the message I received from my nephew after I told my parents I was gay, and a powerful reminder that my actions to live authentically can have impact others. 

“Coming out” is a unique experience for each LGBTQ+ person and it’s not a one-time event. Will they treat me differently? Will they judge or shame me? Will they still love me? These questions are often top of mind of LGBTQ+ individuals every time we share our identity. That’s because acceptance isn’t guaranteed. From anti-trans legislation to acts of violence on the LGBTQ+ community, living authentically comes with risk and fear as we strive to be ourselves. For those who have come out and those on their journey to do so, today is a special reminder that speaking up is an act of courage, honesty and resilience. 

Today, Fenton celebrates, honors and supports the LGBTQ+ community by observing National Coming Out Day. Co-founded by activists Rob Eichberg and Jean O’Leary, National Coming Out Day was first celebrated in 1988 during the second March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. Coming out was, and remains, a form of activism to illustrate that most people already know and respect someone in the LGBTQ+ community, and create pathways for individuals to become allies and voices for equality. 

Given Fenton’s work with clients who focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, we also strive to create a work environment where all staff members feel safe and supported, and so can be their whole selves at work. That’s why we created Prism, Fenton’s LGTBQ+ affinity group — an internal team of staff who identify as LGBTQ+. The group’s goal is to foster a greater sense of community, create a more inclusive and collaborative culture, provide a safe space for dialogue and share resources for staff to grow as professionals and allies. We meet twice a month, host events throughout the year, and collectively find safety and joy in a space with peers who have similar experiences and journeys. 

Coming out is an outward expression of self-acceptance. But it’s important to remember that there is no one way to come out or be out. It’s all about what works for you, wherever you are at today. Just because National Coming Out Day takes place on October 11 it does not mean there is pressure to make announcements before you’re ready or feel safe to do so. If you are exploring what coming out means to you, or want to support someone who is considering coming out, here are a few resources worth exploring:

• The Coming Out Handbook (The Trevor Project)
• Being an LGBTQ Ally (Human Rights Campaign)
• Coming Out as Trans (Planned Parenthood)
• On Coming Out: Personal Stories (TED Talks)

While coming out is a powerful form of activism, speaking up for the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals cannot solely be on the shoulders of our community. We need allies with us to stand up to the onslaught of harmful attacks on equality and LGBTQ+ rights. Since 2018, nearly 670 anti-LGBTQ bills have been filed, with 2022 poised to be the worst year yet. Proposed legislation includes measures to restrict LGBTQ+ issues in school curriculums, limit trans people’s ability to play sports, prohibit gender-affirming health care, and more.

Attacks on LGBTQ+ rights aren’t just limited to individual states. In response to the recent Supreme Court’s ruling revoking the constitutional right to abortion, Justice Clarence Thomas argued that the Supreme Court “should reconsider” its past rulings codifying rights to same-sex relationships and same-sex marriage. 

So what can you do? Here are a few resources to help you advocate for equality and LGBTQ+ rights:

• Guide to Being a Straight Ally (PFLAG)
• Mobilize to stop anti-LGBTQ+ legislation (Human Rights Campaign)
• Becoming a funding ally to secure equal treatment for all (Gill Foundation)
• Track LGBTQ+ legislation in your state, then contact your lawmakers (GLAAD)
• Learn about LGBTQ+ political candidates, then get out the vote! (Victory Fund/GLAAD)

We all deserve to be accepted as our whole selves with compassion and love. Fenton remains committed to protecting the rights and dignity for all sexual and gender identities. Today, on National Coming Out Day, we honor all LGBTQ+ individuals who have or are on their journey to share their identity as an act of acceptance, resilience and love. 

Today marks the first day of Pride Month. Already, brands and politicians have festooned their social media pages with rainbows and have earmarked a boatload of advertising dollars to signal their support for the LGBTQ+ community.

In many ways, this is a sign of tremendous progress. Just 60 years ago, every state in the union had anti-sodomy on the books that effectively criminalized same-sex relationships. Moreover, gender non-conforming people were subject to a myriad of legal and social restrictions that made it virtually impossible to live openly.

However, in other ways , these corporate expressions of Pride obfuscate both the tremendous work that remains to be done and the risks that threaten the rights for which we fought tirelessly. For example:

• There is currently no federal anti-discrimination law protecting LGBTQ+ people from being fired or evicted because of their identity. The Equality Act, which would provide explicit and non-discrimination protections, has stalled in Congress for years.
• Trans and gender non-conforming people have been subject to an increasing stream of violence. In 2022 alone, at least 14 transgender people have been shot or killed by other violent means.
• The radical conservative majority on the Supreme Court could take back our rights in a variety of ways. The recent leak of the Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade takes aim at the reasoning underpinning Obergefell, the landmark decision that made marriage equality the law of the land.
• More than 30,000 people per year continue to be infected with HIV due to the lack of access to effective prevention methods like PrEP and TaSP.
• An onslaught of bills passed in conservative state legislatures from Texas to Florida have sought to antagonize and marginalize queer kids. These bills are particularly dangerous when taking into account that more than 45% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered suicde in the past year.

These challenges will not go unanswered. Activists, foundations, and advocacy organizations around the country are mobilizing to meet this pivotal moment. If you are looking to show support for queer people this Pride Month, consider supporting the below organizations instead of buying those rainbow Oreos (that taste gross anyway).

• The Trevor Project – The Trevor Project is the nation’s leading organization dedicated to promoting mental health and fighting LGBTQ+ youth suicide. They administer lifesaving help-line and online chat system where queer kids can talk to a counselor at any time, day or night. In addition to its direct services, the group’s advocacy efforts were pivot to the federal enactment of the 9-8-8 Lifeline, the new three-digit dialing code that routs people directly to the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. The program will be available to everyone across the United States starting on July 16, 2022.
• The Gill Foundation – The Gill Foundation is an important grant making foundation that funds grassroots organization across the country fighting for full equality for full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people. They help to fund organizations that tell stories, educate the public, conduct important research, and advance rights through the legal system.
• PrEP4All – PrEP4ll’s mission is to increase access to lifesaving HIV treatment and prevention medication. The initiative was founded in 2018 in response to price gouging by pharma-giant Gilead of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), a pill that is more than 99 percent effective at preventing HIV transmission when taken daily. The organization’s work has since expanded to include advocacy for global access to Hepatitis-C medication and COVID-19 vaccines.
• The Marsha P. Johnson Institute (MPJI) – Named after the notable trans activist Marsha P. Johnson, the Institute is dedicated to advancing and protecting the rights of Black trans people. They administer a number of grants for organizers, artists, and non-profits who promote the collective power of black trans people and reclaim their relationship to the wider movement’s legacy.

Fenton is recommitting itself to the struggle for rights and dignity for all sexual and gender identities this Pride Month. Prism, our new queer employee resource group, will be hosting workshops, speakers, and educational initiatives that increase awareness of key LGBTQ+ issues and focus on ways our staff can make a difference.