“How can I make this easy for you? Because I want to.”

Powerful words by Melanie Parish about how to support members of the LGBTQ community when you don’t quite know how.

You don’t need to know everything about LGBTQ to work towards creating a respectful and accepting workplace environment. Rather, you need to be able to sit in uncomfortable conversations, be willing to make mistakes and be open to learning. You need to spend time understanding the challenges and barriers faced and building relationships that enable you to do the deep work - what Melanie refers to as “straight people work”.

On this episode of The Workplace Communication Podcast, Melanie opens up about both personal and professional struggles as a queer woman, married to a transgender FTM husband, and shares ideas on fostering inclusivity and acceptance.

Leadership tips you won’t want to miss:

🎙️ Understanding the impact of the words you use from the perspective of the identity holder

🎙️ How Melanie and her husband successfully sued the government of Ontario… and the weight of constantly being an advocate

🎙️ Why being overly cautious can lead to more harm than support

🎙️ How seemingly small comments can create an unsafe work environment for LGBTQ

🎙️ Changing our habits of gendered language to create a more inclusive workplace

Melanie Parish is an author, public speaker, host of The Experimental Leader Podcast, founder of Experimental Leader Academy, and Master Certified Coach. An expert in problem-solving, constraints management, operations, strategic hiring, and brand development, Melanie has consulted and coached organizations ranging from a Fortune 50 company to IT start-ups.

Her individual clients include those in FAANG and other top global IT companies. As an author, educator, and creator of The Experimental Leader book, Melanie shows people new ways of thinking about their leadership, informed by her understanding of the fast-paced ride of technology innovation. She is based in Dundas, Ontario and Las Cruces, New Mexico.

If you’re looking to deepen your understanding of how to promote a more inclusive environment for members of the LGBTQ community, then this episode is for you!