On August 4, 2010, Judge Walker declared that Proposition 8, “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California,” was unconstitutional in that it violated the civil rights of gay and lesbian couples. While an appeal is certain, there is hope for justice for all loving couples in the foreseeable future (at least in
Aon has a good record of supporting GLBT issues: Sponsorship at the Chicago Gay Games (where several Aon employees competed); three years running of scoring 100% on the HRC (Human Rights Campaign) Corporate Equality Index; even asking the Hawaii Business Roundtable to take Aon’s name off of the letter to the Governor of Hawaii that asked her to veto a civil union bill (HB444). I applaud Aon and all the other organizations that recognize the importance of equal rights.
You may think that you are not affected by discrimination. However, I ask you: Can you talk freely about what you did over the weekend or on holiday or who your boy/girlfriend is? Can your school-aged child talk about who her parents are without fear of being teased (or worse)? When the subject turns to sex, do you hide or lie? Are you able to bring your full self to work every day?
Results of HRC’s 2009 Degrees of Equality survey indicate that even with corporate policies in place prohibiting discrimination, 51% of GLBT employees hide their sexual orientation at work and even more report hearing derogatory things “at least once in a while” not just about gays and lesbians, but other minority groups as well. Even such a small thing as the word used to describe one’s life partner can make a difference: “Spouse” indicates the right to be married, ignoring those who do not have that right, as opposed to “partner” or “significant other.”
We all know that ignoring evidence does not make the situation go away. What steps have you taken to make your workplace safer for yourself or your co-workers? Civil rights are an appropriate discussion topic for the workplace, for as far as we are not able to be ourselves at work, our employer suffers to that extent. Only when all employees are able to talk freely about themselves without fear of repercussions in the form discrimination, jokes, hatred or personal attacks, will we experience a workforce at full production. And full participation and production is what is needed to excel, especially in this global economic climate.
I invite your comments and suggestions.
Rejoicing at my desk,
BethLynn Cardall Leehy, M. Div.
Broker/Senior Account Specialist
Chair - Western Region Aon Pride
