Celebrating Pride Month: Embracing History, Allyship and Inclusion
As Pride Month in Aotearoa comes to a close, it's crucial to reflect on its history and significance and to recommit ourselves to fostering a culture of inclusion and allyship within our workplace.
At RUSH, we believe in creating a safe and welcoming environment for everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Let's explore why Pride Month matters, the importance of allyship, and what steps we're taking to promote diversity and inclusion.
History of Pride Month
Pride Month commemorates the Stonewall Riots of June 1969, a pivotal moment in LGBTQIA+ history when members of the community fought back against police brutality and discrimination. This uprising sparked the modern rainbow rights movement and paved the way for progress in rainbow rights and visibility. Pride Month serves as a time to honour this history, celebrate identities, and advocate for equality and acceptance.
For further reading:
Why Pride Month Matters
Pride month is more than just a celebration, it’s a protest of the ongoing struggle for rainbow communities' rights and recognition. It's a time to amplify rainbow voices, raise awareness about issues facing the community, and reaffirm our commitment to equality and inclusion for all. By celebrating Pride Month at RUSH, we honour the resilience and contributions of rainbow individuals and communities, while also acknowledging the work that still needs to be done to achieve full equality.
Importance of Allyship
Allyship plays a crucial role in creating a supportive and inclusive environment for the rainbow community. It means standing in solidarity with rainbow individuals, actively listening to their experiences, and taking action to challenge discrimination and promote acceptance. At RUSH, we recognise the importance of allyship and are committed to being advocates for rainbow rights and equality. We believe that everyone deserves to feel safe, respected, and valued for who they are.
For further reading:
Recent statistics show that more than 20% or higher of the rainbow community don't feel comfortable being themselves at work, which is higher than the general population [source]. This underscores the urgent need for organisations to prioritise diversity and inclusion initiatives and create a culture where everyone feels like they belong.
What We Are Doing
At RUSH, we're taking steps to support the LGBTQIA+ community and promote diversity and inclusion:
- We joined the Pride Pledge Aotearoa in 2023, affirming our commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace in the future that will support our long-term vision for creating new policies at RUSH
- Constantly checking that we are in the right place to keep promotion and reaffirming RUSH as a safe workplace in the tech industry
- Some of our Belonging Steering Group participated in workshops like "Rainbow Awareness 101" to educate ourselves on rainbow issues and ways to bring more inclusion to RUSH
- We celebrate Pride Month with activities like a team outing to Caluzzi for drag bingo and a team dinner and drinks.
- We measure diversity and inclusion in our monthly engagement survey to track our progress and identify areas for improvement.
For further reading:
- Pride Pledge Aotearoa Official Website
- Steps to Rainbow Inclusion - Pride Pledge Aotearoa
What We Are Committed to Doing Now
Moving forward, we are committed to furthering our efforts to promote diversity and inclusion at RUSH:
- We have conducted a diversity survey to understand better the experiences and needs of rainbow employees within our organisation.
- We will optimise our recruitment process using resources and guidance from the Pride Pledge Aotearoa.
- We will work internally to improve our processes and policies, making RUSH a safe space for rainbow communities committed to equality and diversity
For further reading:
- Recruitment Inclusive Recruitment Guide - Pride Pledge Aotearoa
By taking these steps, we continue to strive for a workplace where everyone feels empowered to be their authentic selves and where diversity is celebrated and embraced.
As Pride Month comes to an end, let's recommit ourselves to building a better world for all. Together, we can make a difference and create positive change within our organisation and beyond. Happy Pride!
Let’s not forget that Pride Month is only an instance to celebrate rainbow communities, but our work persists during the year.