• There’s a tension in every LGBTQ person’s life: Between going with the flow of societal norm and making impactful change through their openness

Being out in the workplace is difficult, but being open in such a potentially hostile place can pave the way and create the space for people after you. It can be an economic gamble to place that stigmatized identity out in the open, but it also forces discomfort and growth of space.

• LGBTQ people create a community of support around themselves to field off the effects of homophobia and transphobia

It often comes down to the creation of a close-knit support group to replace understanding of the LGBTQ experience on a broader scale. When LGBTQ people have a supportive group which they belong to, the negative effects of homophobia or transphobia can be curtailed through a stronger support system.

• Rumination–the anxiety and overthinking that comes with understanding and internalizing homophobia and transphobia– creates the need for programs that support the mental health of LGBTQ citizens

• Everyone suffers from LGBTQ discrimination–not just the community themselves

Everyone is sharing in the burden of homophobia and transphobia. Companies who have unsupportive culture lead to less productivity from their LGBTQ and BIPOC employees. Families are torn apart from disowning or not accepting their children. Creating a supportive culture benefits all of us.