LGBT INCLUSIVITY TOOLKIT A toolkit designed for Villages to be proactively inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) older adults.
This toolkit was made possible by a grant from the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan.
September 2016
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION According to Services and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Elders (SAGE), the country’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to serving the aging lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) population, LGBT older adults are at a disproportionate risk for social isolation and poor health outcomes based on the following risk factors. They are twice as likely to live alone and be single; and almost four times less likely to have children than their heterosexual peers. They also have higher rates of disability and poverty. Furthermore, they often face challenges with mental health, location-related barriers, discrimination, and stigma. In the face of these challenges and recognizing that LGBT older adults deserve to feel welcome in the communities they love and call home, in 2015 Community Connections, Inc. obtained a generous grant from the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan to transform itself into an organization inclusive of and responsive to the needs of LGBT older adults. Jointly sponsored by the Luella Hannan Memorial Foundation and Presbyterian Villages of Michigan, Community Connections, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation dedicated to helping older adults remain living in their own homes and communities as they age and their needs change over time.
While Community Connections serves Michigan, it is part of a national movement called the Village Movement. In communities across the U.S., older adults are banding together and forming member-driven, volunteer-supported organizations (referred to as Villages) to help each other obtain the supports and services they need to remain living in and actively engaged with their community. Unfortunately, according to research conducted by the Village to Village Network (a national association of Villages),Villages as a whole have had limited success connecting with and supporting LGBT older adults. To address this issue, using lessons learned from its experience working to transform itself into an organization inclusive of LGBT older adults, Community Connections developed this toolkit for use by fellow members of the Village Movement committed to intentionally welcoming and providing safe spaces for LGBT older adults. It includes guidance on developing LGBT inclusive policies & procedures, education & training, and marketing & communications. In addition, it provides step-by-step instructions and a suggested timeline to assist you in seamlessly weaving policy development, training and communications into a smooth, easy to follow process.
The toolkit is divided into 8 sections each demarked with a tab: 1. Introduction 2. Getting Started 3. LGBT Inclusivity Task Force 4. Policies & Procedures 5. Education & Training 6. Marketing & Communications 7. Timeline 8. Appendices Each section between the Introduction and Timeline contains: • • • •
A description of the tasks to be done in that section. Guidance on how to complete the tasks. A checklist for keeping track of your progress completing the tasks. A page for taking notes.
The Timeline section presents the tasks in outline form and assigns them to a 9-month timeline. Based on the needs and resources of your Village, however, you may decide to use either a shorter or longer timeline. The last section is the Appendices. It contains the following supplementary information and resources to help you with the process of creating an LGBT inclusive Village:
• • • •
A page for taking notes. A condensed timeline. The results of two marketing focus groups. A master checklist.
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NOTES
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GETTING STARTED GETTING STARTED
GETTING STARTED Creating an LGBT inclusive Village requires you to first build a solid foundation. Start by securing support and approval from your Village board. At an upcoming board meeting, schedule time for the board to learn and understand why creating a Village inclusive of LGBT older adults is important. Invite a speaker from the LGBT community to the board meeting to engage the board in a discussion of LGBT older adult experiences, issues and needs. When the board reaches a consensus in favor of becoming LGBT inclusive, it should draft and pass a formal resolution supporting the initiative (see below for sample resolution).
SECURING A SPEAKER Most states have an LGBT community center or similar organization. Some have SAGE affiliates. To find out if your state has one or the other or both, visit the following websites: www.lgbtcenters.org/Centers/find-a-center.aspx & www.sageusa.org/advocacy/sagenet.cfm. These organizations should be able to help you identify and secure a speaker.
SAMPLE RESOLUTION At the meeting of the Board of Directors of (Village Name) on (date of meeting), the following resolution was proposed and approved by the board:
Whereas (Village Name) recognizes that ALL persons deserve to feel welcome in the communities they love and call home;
Whereas (Village Name) recognizes that ALL persons deserve to remain living in the communities they love and call home as they age and their needs change over time; now, therefore, be it;
Resolved, that (Village Name): is committed to creating and providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all its members, staff, volunteers, vendors, and subcontractors regardless of their race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations.
GETTING STARTED CHECKLIST
TASK
PERSON(S) RESPONSIBLE
DEADLINE
DATE ACCOMPLISHED
Request LGBT inclusivity be added to agenda of upcoming board meeting. Schedule speaker from LGBT community to attend board meeting. Draft resolution in favor of becoming an LGBT inclusive Village. Present resolution at board meeting. OTHER (Add your own):
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LGBT INCLUSIVITY TASK FORCE LGBT INCLUSIVITY TASK FORCE
LGBT INCLUSIVITY TASK FORCE Once your board reaches a consensus to become LGBT inclusive, we recommend you form an LGBT Inclusivity Task Force. The goal of the task force is to develop and recommend to the board any and all changes needed to current Village policies & procedures, education & training, and marketing & communications to make the Village more inclusive of LGBT older adults. Ideally the task force should consist of a mix of Village members, board members, volunteers, and staff as well as 1-2 members from the LGBT community at large. Included among the staff and volunteers who serve on the task force should be those responsible for overseeing Village operations; educating & training volunteers and/or staff; and designing/maintaining the Village website, social media, print materials and other marketing and communications collateral. After the team has been assembled, its members should elect a chair to direct their work. While as a whole we recommend the task force meet once a month, the vast majority of its work should be done between meetings. This will allow the task force to use the monthly meetings as intended: for reviewing work, making decisions and developing final recommendations for presentation to the Village board. Be aware that for planning purposes, our experience indicates the tasks to be performed between meetings will take 4-6 hours per month to complete. We also discovered that using modern work tools such as webinar hosting, video conferencing and a cloud-based document sharing platform will greatly enhance your productivity and work efficiency. Many, such as Google Drive (https://www.google.com/drive) and Skype (https://www.skype.com/en) are free. Use of these tools, however, is not necessary for the task force to complete its work. “Old fashioned� pen and paper will work just fine.
TASK FORCE CHECKLIST
TASK
PERSON(S) RESPONSIBLE
DEADLINE
DATE ACCOMPLISHED
Invite 1-2 Village board members to join the task force. Invite 1-2 Village members to join the task force. Invite 1-2 Village staff members to join the task force. Invite 1-2 Village volunteers to join the task force. Invite 1-2 members of the LGBT community to join the task force.
Establish a meeting schedule.
Elect a task force chair. OTHER (Add your own):
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POLICIES & PROCEDURES
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
POLICIES & PROCEDURES The process we recommend for becoming LGBT inclusive addresses and involves three distinct yet interconnected components. The first of these is Policies & Procedures. Because policies and procedures guide actions, the most important step toward becoming an LGBT inclusive Village is to ensure that all Village policies and procedures foster, support, and provide an LGBT inclusive environment. During its inaugural meeting, the LGBT Inclusivity Task Force should elect a point person to spearhead a review of all Village policies and procedures. If possible, the point person should recruit additional members of the task force to help with this task.
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER When you review your Village’s policies and procedures, you should consider the following questions. After completing the review, your objective should be to modify existing or draft new policies and procedures that change any “no” answer to “yes.” 1. Does the Village have a diversity and inclusion values statement, business case and/or statement on diversity and inclusion? 2. Does the Village have a non-discrimination policy that includes sexual orientation and gender identify? 3. Do the Village’s medical and other employee benefits include domestic partners? 4. Do policies that outline protected classes (e.g., Equal Employment Opportunity, Harassment, Resident/Client/Patient Rights) include sexual orientation and gender identity/expression as protected classes? 5. Does the Village’s bereavement leave policy include and apply to immediate family members of unmarried persons? 6. When defining family for employee benefits and leave policies are unmarried partners included? Are the parents and children of unmarried partners included? 7. Does the Village have a gender transition policy that pertains to its volunteers, employees, and members? 8. Do vendor/service provider agreements/contracts contain a non-discrimination provision that includes sexual orientation and gender identity/expression?
POLICIES & PROCEDURES CHECKLIST
TASK
PERSON(S) RESPONSIBLE
DEADLINE
DATE ACCOMPLISHED
Elect task force member to lead review of Village policies & procedures. Recruit additional members to support and assist leader. Gather Village policies & procedures. Review Village policies & procedures. Revise existing and/or draft new Village policies & procedures. Present revised and/or new Village policies & procedures to task force for review and approval. Present task force approved policies & procedures to Village board for review and approval. Implement board approved policies & procedures. OTHER (Add your own):
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EDUCATION & TRAINING
EDUCATION & TRAINING
EDUCATION & TRAINING The second key component in the development process is Education & Training. Early on, the Village board and all members of the LGBT Task Force should participate in LGBT inclusivity and cultural competency training. All Village staff and volunteers should also attend training. Doing so will equip them with the knowledge and education they need to firmly and effectively lead their Village’s transformation into an organization inclusive of LGBT older adults. The information and activities included in the training should highlight and reinforce the reasons why Villages should be inclusive of LGBT older adults and ideally provide direct experience working with and relating to members of the LGBT older adult community.
TRAINING METHODS Depending on available resources, you have a few training options from which to choose. 1. Hire a certified trainer. 2. Identify staff/volunteers to be certified as trainers (Ideally they should be willing and open to learning; have some experience leading educational sessions or workshops; and have the time available to both be trained and provide training). 3. Utilize online webinars. The primary resource for training on LGBT Aging issues is the National Resource Center on LGBT Aging (www.lgbtagingcenter.org/training).
TOPICS THAT SHOULD BE COVERED IN TRAINING The Importance of Diversity & Inclusion
Growing Up LGBT
Becoming LGBT Inclusive
LGBT Aging
LGBT Inclusive Policies
LGBT Treatment Expectations
Working in an LGBT Inclusive Manner
Being an LGBT Ally
EDUCATION & TRAINING CHECKLIST
TASK
PERSON(S) RESPONSIBLE
DEADLINE
DATE ACCOMPLISHED
Elect task force member to lead education & training effort. Recruit additional members to support and assist leader. Determine training method to be used (i.e., hire trainer, utilize internal trainers, participate in webinars). Secure trainer (if choosing this method). Identify/send internal candidates to be certified as trainers (if choosing this method). Select online webinars (if choosing this approach). Schedule trainings for Village leadership, other staff/ volunteers, and if applicable, vendors/contractors. OTHER (Add your own):
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MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS The third and final component involved in becoming a more LGBT Inclusive Village is Marketing & Communications. Making sure the LGBT community knows your Village is a safe and welcoming place to all people regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression is vital to becoming LGBT inclusive. Because they grew up in the early to mid-20th century, today’s LGBT older adults have lived a lifetime of discrimination and stigma. As a result, they are extremely hesitant to get involved with mainstream organizations. Villages that wish to be LGBT inclusive must go
out of their way to share with potential members that they welcome LGBT members and do not discriminate against anyone based on their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. At its first meeting, the LGBT Inclusivity Task Force should elect one of its members to lead the review of the Village’s marketing and communications efforts. If possible, 2-3 other members of the task force should assist with this endeavor. The first task to complete is a media review.
MEDIA REVIEW The media you use for marketing and communications, including both print and digital media, should reflect the fact that your Village is LGBT inclusive. Print media includes flyers, brochures, newsletters, advertisements, applications, signs and placards. Digital media includes websites, e-newsletters, social media (e.g., Facebook, Twitter) and email marketing systems (e.g., Constant Contact, MailChimp). When conducting your media review, you should consider the following questions. Your objective should be to modify existing or develop new media to change any “no” answer to “yes.” 1. Do you include an inclusivity statement on all brochures and newsletters? 2. Do you use the same language consistently throughout all documents (e.g., sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression)? 3. Do forms that ask for personally identifying information contain inclusive categories or do they assume heterosexuality? Do they provide space for transgender identification? 4. In your story-telling efforts do you share stories of LGBT older adult members or of your work in the LGBT community? 5. Do you include pictures of same sex couples or transgender people in your imagery? 6. Do you use the rainbow flag graphic in your communications (a symbol of LGBT pride)?
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS MEDIA REVIEW CHECKLIST TASK
PERSON(S) RESPONSIBLE
DEADLINE
DATE ACCOMPLISHED
Elect task force member to lead review of Village marketing & communications efforts. Recruit additional members to support and assist leader. Gather all Village print and digital media.
Review print and digital media.
Revise/develop new print, digital, and social media. Present revised/new print and digital media to the task force for review and approval. Present task force approved print and digital media to Village board for review and approval. Implement board approved print and digital media. OTHER (Add your own):
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MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PLAN As previously indicated, it is important that both the LGBT community and public at large be made aware that your Village is a safe and welcoming place to all people regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. Consequently, in addition to modifying your print and digital media to be more LGBT inclusive, it is important to examine how you market your Village and communicate to your members, staff, volunteers and vendors/contractors. Are you doing so inclusively? If you already have a marketing & communications plan for your Village, it is time to review it for inclusivity. If not, it is time to create one. When reviewing your current plan or developing a new one, you should consider the questions below. Your objective should be to draft a plan that changes any “no” answer to “yes.” 1. Do you advertise with LGBT community newspapers, magazines and web news outlets? 2. Do you sponsor LGBT community events like pride festivals or other large-scale events? 3. Do you engage with LGBT-affirming churches and congregations? 4. Do you utilize LGBT-related mailing lists? 5. Do you plan to issue a press release announcing your transformation into an LGBT inclusive Village?
SAMPLE PRESS RELEASE
Contact
ert date) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: (ins
(insert contact name, phone, email) Members (Insert Village name) Welcomes LGBT inclusive of lesbian, ed a 9-month process to become more (Insert Village name) recently conclud ir), chair of the older adults. (Insert name of board cha gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) e faced a lifetime “because today’s LGBT older adults hav (insert Village name) board, stated that it extremely social isolation and poorer health, we felt d ease incr in g ltin resu ion inat rim disc of ss of sexual and welcoming place to all people regardle important that our Village become a safe , (insert ression.” During the nine month process exp der gen or tity, iden der gen ion, orientat r marketing & r policies & procedures, reworked thei Village name) examined and updated thei training. BT inclusivity & cultural competency LG in ated icip part and , plan ions icat commun chair), “but one king,” added (insert last name of board “It was a lengthy and demanding underta thwhile.” that was sorely needed and definitely wor ### including your (Insert information about your Village, 24
mission statement)
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PLAN CHECKLIST TASK
PERSON(S) RESPONSIBLE
DEADLINE
DATE ACCOMPLISHED
Review current marketing & communications plan.
Revise/develop new marketing & communications plan. Present revised/new marketing & communications plan to LGBT Inclusivity Task Force for review & approval. Present task force approved marketing & communications plan to Village board for review and approval. Implement board approved marketing & communications plan. OTHER (Add your own):
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TIMELINE
TIMELINE
TIMELINE Based on our experience, we have provided you with a 9-month plan for achieving the goal of becoming a more LGBT inclusive Village. However, we recognize that not all Villages are alike. For some it may take more time to complete a particular task while for others it may take less. Also, some tasks may not be applicable to your Village. For example, a Village that does not utilize social media need not complete any of the social media related tasks. Likewise, an all-volunteer Village need not complete any of the employee related tasks. The important thing to remember is that to become a more LGBT inclusive Village, it isn’t critical that all applicable action items and tasks included in the plan we describe be completed and performed within the timeframe we provide. Rather, it is important they be completed in the order provided. While some of the tasks listed chronologically could be completed concurrently, some tasks listed later in the timeline depend on tasks that need to be completed earlier. After you review the tasks and timeline, it will become apparent which ones can be performed concurrently and which ones cannot. During the ninth or last month, after the LGBT Inclusivity Task Force has completed its work, it is time for the Village to shift from creating an LGBT inclusive organization to ensuring the organization remains inclusive. We recommend the Village board establish a Diversity & Inclusion Committee as one of its standing committees. Its role is to ensure that the Village continues to foster and create a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment for all people (not just LGBT older adults), and to that end, monitor Village operations and recommend needed changes to Village policies, procedures, and practices accordingly. We also recommend you plan time to celebrate your accomplishment. Creating an LGBT inclusive Village requires a significant amount of time, energy, and effort, and is worth celebrating. Make sure to also recognize and thank all those who played a part in the process.
MONTH 0 GETTING STARTED
• Request LGBT inclusivity be added to agenda of an upcoming Village board meeting. • Schedule speaker from LGBT community to attend board meeting. • Draft resolution in favor of becoming an LGBT inclusive Village (see Getting Started section). • Present resolution at board meeting.
OTHER (ADD YOUR OWN)
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MONTH 1 POLICIES & PROCEDURES • Elect member of LGBT Inclusivity Task Force to lead review of Village policies & procedures. • Recruit additional members from the LGBT Inclusivity Task Force to support and assist the leader. • Gather all Village policies & procedures for review.
EDUCATION & TRAINING • Elect member of LGBT Inclusivity Task Force to lead education & training effort. • Recruit additional members from the LGBT Inclusivity Task Force to support and assist the leader. • Determine training method to be used, i.e., hire trainer, utilize internal trainers, participate in webinars (see Education & Training section for details). • Establish training schedule.
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS No tasks at this time.
OTHER (ADD YOUR OWN)
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MONTH 2 POLICIES & PROCEDURES • Review Village policies & procedures for LGBT inclusivity utilizing questions in Policies & Procedures section and the Master Checklist in the Appendices as a guide.
EDUCATION & TRAINING • Train Village leadership (if planning to utilize internal trainers, may need to postpone until internal candidates are certified as trainers). • If planning to utilize internal trainers, identify staff/volunteers to be certified as trainers.
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS • Elect member of LGBT Inclusivity Task Force to lead review of Village marketing & communications efforts. • Recruit additional members from the LGBT Inclusivity Task Force to support and assist the leader.
OTHER (ADD YOUR OWN)
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MONTH 3 POLICIES & PROCEDURES • Revise existing/draft new policies & procedures utilizing questions in Policies & Procedures section and the Master Checklist in the Appendices as a guide. • Present revised/new policies & procedures to LGBT Inclusivity Task Force for review and approval.
EDUCATION & TRAINING No tasks at this time.
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS • Gather all Village marketing & communications media and materials.
OTHER (ADD YOUR OWN)
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MONTH 4 POLICIES & PROCEDURES • Present LGBT Inclusivity Task Force approved policies & procedures to Village board for review and approval.
EDUCATION & TRAINING • If planning to utilize internal trainers, send identified candidates for training and certification.
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS • Review Village marketing & communications media and materials for LGBT inclusivity utilizing questions in Marketing & Communications section and the Marketing Focus Groups Summary in the Appendices as a guide.
OTHER (ADD YOUR OWN)
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MONTH 5 POLICIES & PROCEDURES • Implement Village board approved policies & procedures.
EDUCATION & TRAINING • Train remaining Village staff and/or volunteers.
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS • Revise and/or develop new Village marketing & communications media and materials utilizing questions in the Marketing & Communications section and the Marketing Focus Groups Summary in the Appendices as a guide.
OTHER (ADD YOUR OWN)
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MONTH 6 POLICIES & PROCEDURES No tasks at this time.
EDUCATION & TRAINING No tasks at this time.
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS • Revise existing or draft new marketing and communications plan for Village using the questions in the Marketing & Communications section and the Marketing Focus Groups Summary in the Appendices as a guide. • Present revised/new marketing and communications plan and media/materials to LGBT Inclusivity Task Force for review and approval.
OTHER (ADD YOUR OWN)
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MONTH 7 POLICIES & PROCEDURES No tasks at this time.
EDUCATION & TRAINING • Train vendors/contractors. Make sure to explain why Village chose to become LGBT inclusive and identify expectations Village has of vendors/contractors for serving LGBT older adults.
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS • Present new marketing and communications plan and media/materials to Village board for review and approval.
OTHER (ADD YOUR OWN)
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MONTH 8 POLICIES & PROCEDURES No tasks at this time.
EDUCATION & TRAINING No tasks at this time.
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS • Implement Village board approved marketing and communications plan.
OTHER (ADD YOUR OWN)
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MONTH 9 PLAN FOR THE FUTURE • Form a Diversity & Inclusion Standing Committee.
CELEBRATE • Plan a celebration that recognizes those involved for all the time, energy, and effort they put into the process of becoming LGBT inclusive.
OTHER (ADD YOUR OWN)
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APPENDICES
APPENDICES
NOTES
CONDENSED TIMELINE QTR
MONTH
N/A
0
I
II
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
EDUCATION & TRAINING
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Form LGBT Inclusivity Task Force and Establish Meeting Schedule
1
Gather policies & procedures
Select training method (hire trainer, use internal trainers, or view webinars); establish training schedule
N/A
2
Review policies & procedures
Train Village leadership (board, LGBT inclusivity task force, key staff/volunteers)
N/A
3
Revise existing/draft new policies & procedures
N/A
Gather marketing & communications media
4
Present revised/new policies to Village board
Train/certify internal trainers (if choosing this option)
Review marketing & communications media
5
Present revised/new policies to Village board
Train/certify internal trainers (if choosing this option)
Review marketing & communications media
N/A
Internal trainers critiqued by senior trainer (if choosing this option)
Revise/draft new marketing plan
7
N/A
Train vendors/contractors (if Village policy requires it)
Present marketing plan to Village board (with marketing & communications media)
8
N/A
N/A
Implement board approved marketing plan
6
III
9
Plan for the Future and Celebrate
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MARKETING FOCUS GROUPS In early 2016, two marketing focus groups were conducted with 18 lesbian, gay and bisexual older adults living in Metro Detroit. One was held in the city of Detroit; the other in the northern suburb of Ferndale. The suggestions and recommendations of the participants summarized below are extremely useful and should serve as a guide as to how best to market to the LGBT community.
PARTICIPANTS On January 21, 2016, 14 members of the Detroit Elder Project participated in the first focus group from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at Hannan House in Detroit. The second focus group took place with four individuals from the Senior Koffee Klatch on February 3, 2016 from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. at Affirmations in Ferndale. DEMOGRAPHICS AGE
RACE
RELATIONSHIP STATUS
41-44 (6)
African American/Black (11)
In Relationship (3)
56-65 (5)
White (7)
Single (13)
66-80 (7)
Married (2)
GENDER
EMPLOYMENT STATUS
COUNTY OF RESIDENCE
Men (13)
Retired (11)
Wayne (10)
Women (5)
Full-time (1)
Oakland (6)
Trans (0)
Part-time (3)
Macomb (2)
Other (3)
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PARTICIPANT SUGGESTIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS Below is a summary of the ideas participants shared at the focus groups regarding best practices for marketing to the LGBT community.
TERMS/LANGUAGE “Include a non-discrimination statement - Say they don’t discriminate.” “Put ‘LGBT-affirming” right in the literature.” “Also include the mission statement.”
SYMBOLS/IMAGERY “Put some ‘gay’ or ‘twirl’ on it. A little sexy with taste.” “Maybe use the double female/male symbols.” “Don’t just say ‘friendly’, put a flag on it.” “Use the rainbow flag-traditional one.’
FORM CONTENT “I look at the intake forms - single, married - what about ‘partner’?” “They should have gender options - trans or other or do not wish to say. I look for non Mr. or Mrs., like Mx.”
WHERE TO ADVERTISE “On signs, all advertising, all printed postings in physical spaces.” “On every document, newsletter, brochure.” “In every way they communicate.”
RECOMMENDED MEDIA OUTLETS BTL Service Directory
Women Together
Gay Yellow Pages
GOAL
PrideSource Guide
Howard Israel
MetroTimes
Women Out and About
Outpost Ministries
Gay-Friendly Churches
Equality Michigan
LGBT Facebook Pages
Affirmations
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MASTER CHECKLIST The guidance below is based on Michigan laws governing sexual orientation and gender identity/expression effective as of June 2016. Laws in your state may vary. Check with your local branch of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) or visit the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force Nondiscrimination Map: www.thetaskforce.org/nondiscrimination-laws-map. PRINT & DIGITAL MEDIA
CONSIDERATIONS
Resident/Client/Patient Rights; Do protected classes include Equal Opportunity sexual orientation and gender Employment; Harassment expression/identity?
Include sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.
Gender Transition
Does a policy exist for members, staff, volunteers?
Sample policies: www.hrc.org/resources/ workplace-gender-transition-guidelines.
Diversity & Inclusion Value Statement; Medical & Other Benefits
Are spouses included? Domestic partners? Agency position on keeping domestic partner language?
The ACLU of Michigan recommends keeping domestic partner benefits until LGBT people are protected from job discrimination.
Family & Medical Leave; Bereavement Leave
How is family defined? Are parents & children of unmarried partners included?
The ACLU of Michigan recommends keeping domestic partner benefits until LGBT people are protected from job discrimination.
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
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GUIDANCE/RESOURCES
CONSIDERATIONS
GUIDANCE/RESOURCES
Brochures; Newsletters; Benefit Statements; Other Media
Check for any type of visible inclusiveness statement.
Example: (Village name) actively works to foster an inclusive environment that recognizes the value and contributions of all persons regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender identity/expression, religion, age, marital status, sexual orientation or disability.
Applications (member, staff, volunteer)
Check for LGBT inclusive categories with regard to gender & marital status.
Create inclusive forms: www.lgbtagingceneter.org/resources/ resource.cfm?r=601.
Vendor Agreements/ Contracts
Will you ask vendors/ contractors not to discriminate against LGBT people?
Ask vendors/contractors to have a policy prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender expression/identity.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Community Connections, Inc. would like to thank the following individuals for contributing to the development of this toolkit.
Kathleen LaTosch Owner & Principal Consultant LaTosch Diversity & Inclusion Consulting
Judy Lewis Certified Trainer National Resource Center on LGBT Aging
Karen Love Community Outreach Coordinator Community Connections Greater Midtown
Avni Thomas Director of Grants Management Presbyterian Villages of Michigan Foundation
Questions regarding this toolkit should be directed to: lgbtinclusivity@gmail.com