“Gay people live as satellites in a straight world,” said Patrick Farabaugh, publisher of Our Lives magazine, Madison’s LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) publication. “Unless they have some sort of support or infrastructure in place, they don’t know how to speak up because they don’t have the support behind them to help them feel validated. It’s really about bringing your full, authentic self to work.”
That is the impetus behind the formation of OPEN (Out Professional and Executive Network), a new professional LGBT networking, mentoring and business resource organization in town. The group also was formed to help LGBT professionals network with peers who share similar experiences, and help businesses provide employees with a more welcoming and inclusive professional environment to help attract and retain employees.
Often, Farabaugh explained, closeted individuals can feel uncomfortable in their own skin, and especially at work, if they fear revealing their true self might mean being overlooked for promotions or shunned by employees. “So if you can make a workplace safe for gay people, it will probably be safe for everyone,” he said.
[If you’re wondering why this issue needs to be discussed at all, check out this insightful blog written by Eric Peterson titled, “A Closet With a View” on Mike Vandervort’s Web site “The Human Race Horses.”]
Consider this: In the year 2000, there were 8,232 same-sex couples residing in Wisconsin, according to the U.S. Census. By 2005, that number had grown to 14,894, and the number of Wisconsin individuals claiming to be gay, lesbian or bisexual numbered 160,698. Individuals in same-sex couples were more likely to work in the private sector (78%) and have a college degree (35%) than were married individuals. And while same-sex couples resided in every county in the state, Dane County had the second highest number of same-sex couples, at 1,382 (compared to Milwaukee’s 1,951) but the highest percentage (.80%) of all households. The 2010 Census will likely report even higher growth.
What is OPEN?
“It is comparable to MAGNET [for young professionals] or TEMPO [an invitation-only group for accomplished woman],” Farabaugh explained. One of the founders, he said the group is tasked with connecting LGBT professionals through social and educational programs. The organization’s mission is three-fold: First, to improve the workplace climate and way of life for the area’s LGBT community; second, to help create retention plans within the business community with the intended goal of keeping some of the best and brightest here in the area; and three, to provide mentoring through professional development.
OPEN is the first such group of its kind, Farabaugh explained. “We’re creating the model. We’ve had people express interest in opening chapters.” Rockford, for instance, has already shown interest, as have those seeking information about the group online. “We have a mailing list of between 300 and 500 individuals right now.”
The group meets monthly, alternating between networking events and programming events, and has already featured representatives from Out and Equal (a nonprofit, national organization addressing LGBT issues in the workplace) as well as an appearance from Biddy Martin, UW-Madison chancellor. Farabaugh said about 50 people attended the Out and Equal presentation, while nearly double that heard Biddy Martin speak.
Professional Buy-In
Joining Farabaugh in the creation of OPEN was co-founder James Tye, president of Verve Media in Madison, and other business professionals equally as engaged. Scott Rippe, President of Rippe Keane Marketing in Madison, is OPEN’s marketing committee chair. He explained his take on the need for this entity: “As ‘cool’ as Madison is, gay people still find themselves defined by their sexuality instead of their talents and professional contributions. Over time, OPEN will provide the tools and education to help gay professionals advance their careers and showcase their skills to the business community.”
Marty Fox, OPEN vice president, is a retired executive from Alliant Energy Corp. Fox had been seeking a peer professional networking opportunity for a while. Having no luck in finding one, she established the Alliant Energy Pride Organization to reach out to other LGBT employees and to create more company awareness.
“I was an ‘out’ professional at Alliant,” Fox said, “and I didn’t even know who the other people were in my own company. I certainly didn’t know other people in the LGBT community, not well anyway. You don’t really connect with the community. If you don’t go to bars, there’s really no place to go to find other LGBT professionals.” OPEN provides that outlet, she added.
And the group continues to attract interest: “We have about 70 paid charter members at $100 each right now.” The group also charges a small fee for its programs.
A member of OPEN’s corporate relations committee, Fox said the group wants to be an ally with the business community. “We’ll bring employee recruitment and retention programs and ideas [to employers]. That’s key. It’s very hard to measure how many LGBT people are out there because those individuals in a company are not labeled as such, so nobody can measure the turnover in the community.” High turnover is common among the LGBT community, she explained, because “if individuals are not very ‘out’ at work, they don’t establish those deep relationships with co-workers that often help them stay.”
Fox added, “We are writing the book [with OPEN], and why shouldn’t Madison be first? A lot of people think Madison is progressive and positive and we would be the place for this, but we’re not there yet. We don’t have any Madison-based companies who score a 100% on the HRC index, though some are better than others.”
The HRC Index refers to an annual report published by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation called The State of the Workplace, which serves as a benchmark for policies and benefits supportive and inclusive of all. Of 588 employers surveyed nationwide, 305 companies earned a top rating of 100%, meaning they were doing all they could to be diverse and inclusive. Of those, only eight Wisconsin companies made the list, and just three (Foley & Lardner, Quarles & Brady, and S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc.) achieved a 100% rating.
“I’ve found corporate executives who are very supportive,” said Fox, “but uncomfortable because they don’t know what to say or how to get it right. You rarely hear a company leader talk about the gay-lesbian-bisexual-transgendered community. They can’t get the assistance they need because their own employees are uncertain, and because many LGBT employees are closeted and can’t express themselves.”
Shannon Anderson, Financial Advisor for Ameriprise Financial in Madison, joined OPEN for the networking aspect, but now is active in the group’s larger mission of reaching out to employers in Madison. “For me, I’ve had a very positive work experience, and was able to be ‘out’ and work in a supportive environment. I want others to experience that. It is so important to quality of life,” she said.
While LGBT policies may be becoming more common, she agrees with Fox that Madison just isn’t there yet. “A lot of companies have policies, but I don’t think it’s as common as we presume,” Anderson explained.
Anderson hopes more businesses will become more sensitive in their awareness of the LGBT community, which is why she’s excited to help OPEN become a resource for employers looking to improve their work environment and retain employees. Some changes can be as subtle as using the word “partner” instead of “spouse” in company policies and dialogues, Anderson said. “On the whole, people mean well, but there’s always room to be more understanding and tolerant.”
Dennis Johnson, a Senior Vice President at Associated Bank in Madison, serves as OPEN’s treasurer. “If you’re not comfortable at work, you can’t be the person you really are. OPEN is about networking, mentoring, professional development and helping younger people become leaders in the LGBT community — or any community,” he said. “Diversity is good for business. As a banker, we’re always trying to attract a diverse business clientele.”
Corporate Buy-In
Farabaugh noted, “When you look at what we have to offer and what the demographic makeup is [of the LGBT professional community], we have a very unique, creative core. So if a company appeals to the gay market, it can cross all markets.”
It’s no secret that job applicants frequently research companies online, looking for HR policies and benefits to determine if a company will be a good fit. A company ranking high in the HRC Index or being welcoming in its diversity policies may be perceived as a more “fair” workplace for all.
Kraft Foods in Madison has been very successful with its employee diversity programs, establishing employee resource groups that promote acceptance. “Diversity and inclusion … means creating a respectful culture where our differences are treated as assets and vital to our future success,” said Sydney Lindner, Kraft’s associate director of corporate relations. “Our employees are encouraged to bring their ‘whole’ self to work, and we have many programs that encourage diversity and inclusion, including our diversity councils.”
The OPEN board hopes more companies will help set strong examples, and the group is ready and willing to offer advice. “We’ve only presented our information to a few companies so far, but the number of people hearing our message and taking it back to the workplace with them is much larger,” said Farabaugh.
The group’s first official board will be elected in March. Until then, the interim board is hopeful that it will have a Web site early in 2010. It has also applied for 501(c)4 status.
For more information on OPEN, send an e-mail to: info@openmadison.org.
How would you rank your company’s efforts to be diverse and inclusive in day to day policies? Let us know!
