Straight Allies

➜ TIP
Challenge any homophobic comments
or ‘banter’ firmly and immediately
Straight allies who are line managers know that they have to
challenge any homophobic behaviour firmly and effectively manage
resistance to gay equality in the workplace.
Some staff had strong views about our Safe Zone LGB
training – why was it being done and did they have to
participate? I made it very clear that this is training that all
staff undertake and explained the reasons why – it’s about
ensuring that everybody’s treated fairly and that people feel
comfortable in the workplace. I also made it very clear that
this is how we expect people to behave when they’re in the
workplace. Justine Williams, Assistant Director, Barnardos Northwest
Many straight allies have lesbian, gay or bisexual people working for
them and therefore have a role in supporting them, some of whom
may need support to come out at work.
People give their most when there’s a social connection and
I really think the little things a manager does have a greater
impact on the individual than they realise. Someone’s got to
set the tone and, as a manager, in the same way as it’s your
role to stamp something inappropriate out, you’ve also got to
be able to bring people into a team. That doesn’t have to be a
big grandstand thing – it can just be a chat by the coffee
machine. I always make a conscious effort to ask what people
are doing on the weekends and to bring them into the
conversation by asking ‘what did you and your partner do this
weekend?’ because gay colleagues may sometimes be reticent
to offer that until actually invited into that conversation.
Chris Light, Audit Senior Manager, Ernst & Young
LINE MANAGERS
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