You’ve probably noticed, it’s that time of year again. It’s June and it’s Pride Month. It’s a time of year when people across America celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender pride. The origins of Pride Month go back to the Stonewall riots in 1969 and the ensuing awareness it created. Pride Month became official in 1999 when President Bill Clinton declared that June would be Gay and Lesbian Pride Month. In 2011 President Barack Obama expanded Pride Month to include all LGBTQ people. There’s your history lesson.
During Pride Month, you’ve probably noticed the overwhelming display of pro pride messages, displays and other communications. It’s everywhere you look. And you’ve likely noticed that many businesses have felt the need to promote their support of Pride Month.
Last year, I wrote about a close friend who works in the financial industry for a very large and well-known organization. The company held a mandatory all hands-on deck meeting, where LGBTQ employees proceeded to share their personal stories with the entire company.
The company my friend works for is not unique. Many companies are conducting similar activities. They change their logos to the pride colors. They post on social media about their support for Pride Month.
I have a few questions. When did it become acceptable to force sexually related topics onto employees? When did it become acceptable to openly discuss sexual orientation in the workplace? Good luck getting answers to those questions.
When I go to work, I want to focus on my job. I want to contribute to the company’s success. I do not want to hear about people’s sexual orientation and how proud they are to be LGBTQ. I certainly don’t brag about being a heterosexual male at work. And Pride Month has absolutely nothing to do with business.
In case you’re wondering, I, like the vast majority of Americans, have no issue with anyone who is LGBTQ. I have friends who are gay. I do business with people who are gay. Nobody cares. We live in a time where you can be whatever you want to be, without prejudice from the vast majority of people. But I can tell you with confidence, most people don’t want sexually related content forced into their eyes and ears, especially when they’re at work.
The other issue I have with Pride Month is the length of time. Why are we celebrating people’s sexuality for an entire month? We celebrate LGBTQ for a month, but we don’t have an entire month where we honor the men and women who sacrificed their lives for our country. We don’t have an entire month where we recognize the sacrifices first responders make to keep our communities safe. And we don’t have a month to honor the selfless work teachers do every day to educate our children. It’s a disgrace.
Please keep Pride Month out of business. Please don’t force people to listen to and consume content about sexuality in the workplace. Use your time outside of work to support and celebrate whatever you believe in. And if you’re going to have a Pride Month, create a month to honor and recognize the brave men and women who protect our freedom.