Out in the Legal Profession: A Celebration of LGBTQ Stories

In celebration of Pride Month, the Diversity and Inclusion Committee and the Winston Pride Affinity Group hosted a virtual panel featuring Winston & Strawn LGBTQ lawyers, staff, alumni, and clients. Panelists reflected on the community’s progress, its ongoing fight for change, personal stories about heterosexism in the workplace, and their coming out experiences.

A primary topic of conversation was self-disclosure of sexual orientation and gender identity in the workplace. While the panelists discussed hopeful instances of being pleasantly surprised by a supervisor’s or colleague’s acceptance, there are still many forms of bias against individuals who do not conform to heteronormative and cisgender stereotypes.

As discussed by participants, straight and cisgender allies can help in a myriad of ways, including by educating themselves about the elevated rates of suicide and homelessness for queer youth and by listening to LGBTQ individuals and letting them know that their stories are being heard. When in doubt, kindness and thoughtful questions go a long way.

One of the key goals outlined during the discussion is intersectionality; LGBTQ individuals must be more accepting of every member of their community and make an effort to reach across social lines to accomplish that mission. This includes addressing the racism, sexism, and transphobia that exist within the queer community.