What Real Inclusion Looks Like at Work When You’re LGBTQ+ 7 | 23
Radical Candor: Communication at Work
Intro
This chapter highlights the critical conversation about the challenges and fears faced by LGBTQ+ employees in the workplace. Through personal stories and statistics, it aims to inspire openness and foster a more inclusive environment.
We’re celebrating Pride Month, and to kick us off, Amy and Brandi get real about the unfiltered, often uncomfortable truth of being LGBTQ+ in the workplace—where invisibility can feel safer than honesty, and “inclusion” doesn’t always include you. In this 'best of' episode, they unpack the messy layers of LGBTQ+ identity at work—from pronoun politics and people-pleasing to being “the only one” in the room. If you’ve ever felt unseen at work—or want to ensure your team doesn’t have to—this one’s for you. Showing up matters more than getting it perfect.
Get all of the show notes at RadicalCandor.com/podcast.
Episode Links:
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Beyond rainbow washing: Supporting LGBTQ+ at work and beyond
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Coming out at work: transgender scientists share their stories
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Nearly half of LGBTQ employees in the US think being “out” at work is a bad career move
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Why Bisexual Adults Report Higher Rates of Mental Distress – The New York Times
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Your Guide to the Best Online LGBTQ+ Counseling Options in 2023
Connect:
Chapters:
(00:00:00) Introduction
Kim and Amy introduce the episode focusing on coming out at work.
(00:01:42) Why Representation Matters
Statistics on workplace discrimination faced by LGBTQ+ employees.
(00:05:22) Pronouns, Labels & Personal Identity
The limiting nature of pronouns and labelling oneself.
(00:09:52) Living a Double Life
Dating secretly and the sense of being "othered" in mainstream culture.
(00:13:06) The Limited Supply
The isolation created by the absence of a visible queer community.
(00:17:37) The Spiritual Journey & Other Closets
How the act of coming out led to a deeper exploration of spirituality.
(00:19:37) The Cost of Hiding at Work
The emotional and psychological toll of being closeted in the workplace.
(00:21:04) Finally Coming Out at Work
The slow, iterative process of coming out and how Radical Candor helped.
(00:23:21) The Bisexual Experience at Work
The unique stigmas bisexuals face within and outside LGBTQ+ spaces.
(00:28:15) Words, Labels & Inner Homophobia
The complexity of identity labels and how internalized bias can shape them.
(00:32:37) The Power of Representation in Media
The importance of media characters who normalize LGBTQ+.
(00:36:26) Inclusion & the Privilege of Presentation
Soliciting inclusive feedback and how privilege shapes perceptions.
(00:40:21) Hair as Identity & Microaggressions
A painful but powerful story about being judged for appearances.
(00:43:40) Being the Only One in the Room
The exhaustion of being the sole representative of marginalized identities.
(00:46:30) Making Mistakes & Owning Them
The role of feedback and straight allies in creating inclusive spaces.
(00:49:43) What Allies Can Do
A story about support when encountering a homophobic comment.
(00:52:03) Setting Boundaries
The importance of respecting privacy and rejecting invasive curiosity
(00:54:29) Radical Candor Tips
Key takeaways on supporting LGBTQ+ colleagues
(00:58:12) Conclusion
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