Today’s episode drops just 5 days before the launch of Pride Month. That special time of year that rejuvenates us with hope, confidence, and glitter. One of the best parts about Pride today is that so many companies and organizations show their open support online, in their media, and through rainbows plastered on the front of their merchandise. While we certainly enjoy the stand of solidarity, often these gestures come across as hollow. Specifically when one examines the LGBTQ+ diversity, or lack of queer diversity and inclusivity, adopted within these companies. So today we want to discuss how to keep the Pride going long after the last sparkler fades. While this episode is meant for businesses during Pride Month, parents, loved ones, teachers, and community workers can learn a lot as well. The most important thing to remember is to LISTEN to your LGBTQ+ loved one. Do your own research, read some memoirs, set aside times to ask questions, and reach out to a support group of others in your shoes. Don’t put the brunt of your education on your queer loved one. They have enough to deal with. Google is a wonderful tool, and while you can’t trust everything on the internet, you can learn a hell of a lot. So utilize it. As for those of you who run a business, a group, or an organization, the following tips are for helping make your workplace a more effective Ally.  First – Create LGBTQ+ Specific Policies – As great as it is to see a rainbow outside one’s workplace, it doesn’t mean much if that individual isn’t protected once they’re inside those walls. Most companies have a non-discrimination policy as it is federally required, but that doesn’t allow for public accommodations or many medical needs that are specific to the queer population. More importantly, by not specifically addressing LGBTQ+ employees, companies are not recognizing the fact that queer populations face additional barriers and needs. By instituting policies that specifically address LGBTQ issues, a company shows they are committed to queer employees, customers, and clients, every day and not just during Pride Month. By the way, the overwhelming majority of Fortune 500 companies have policies in place. If you want your business to thrive, queer specific policies are essential. Second – Institute Regular Trainings and Make Sure They Are Queer Lead – Like many minority groups, we continue to evolve in our language, our goals, and our understanding of ourselves. So a standard curriculum developed 20 years ago and repeated once a year isn’t going to cut it. In fact, curriculums created 10 or even 5 years ago will definitely need to be updated or thrown out altogether. In order to be an effective Ally it’s important to develop with the times the same way your business or organization continues to evolve if it wishes to grow. So training should regularly be reviewed before it’s presented and training around minority issues should be administered often. Especially if the company is growing or has high turnover. Additionally, these training sessions should be led by an LGBTQ+ individual. An Ally with good intentions just isn’t going to cut it. A queer person will have insights and be able to address questions that others cannot. The same way a person of color can speak to the effects of racism far better than a white person ever could. Furthermore, you don’t want the training to become ‘other’ focused, meaning ‘those people’. Rather, by having a peer representative, the subject becomes more personal and tangible. If you don’t have a person within your organization that is qualified to host this training, then you can always outsource and pay a local organization to send a qualified representative. Or maybe ask how you don’t have a single LGBTQ+ employee that could lead a training. Third – Small Signs Go A Long Way – There’s a lot of small ways to make LGBTQ+ people feel valid and safe in their work...