Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | January 27, 2025 | Worcester Business Journal 19 W Ensure your team has ALL ACCESS to WBJ. We offer discounted group subscriptions starting at 5 users. Reach out to us at circulation@wbjournal.com for a quote. WBJ Workplace discrimination is everyone's business T he claims by Worcester Councilor-at-Large u Nguyen of transphobia and discrimination should have nothing to do with anyone's thoughts on their performance as a city councilor. Full stop. Allegations of dis- crimination deserve to be taken seriously and investigated by leadership within any organization, and the City of Worcester is no exception. I believe this should be the focus of the current dialogue, not attacking someone's performance record when they are bravely stepping forward to address target- ed discrimination tied to their personhood. At the same time, we can hold the reality there are connections between experiences of discrimi- nation and performance. Persistent harassment, bias, and microaggres- sions create hostile envi- ronments that undermine a person's ability to do their job effective- ly. According to the UCLA Williams In- stitute, more than half of transgender and nonbinary employees report workplace harassment, and 1 in 3 LGBTQ+ individ- uals have le a job due to mistreatment. Councilor Nguyen's experience reflects a systemic issue, one impacting not just individuals but the organizations and communities they serve. Discrimination in the workplace – whether in a corporate office, a small business, or on a city council – creates a toxic environment that stifles pro- ductivity, erodes trust, and harms both individuals and the broader community. When leaders fail to separate legitimate allegations of harm from critiques of performance, they dismiss the very real impact discrimination has on a person's ability to thrive. Councilor Nguyen's experience is not unique. Data from the Center for Ameri- can Progress shows LGBTQ+ individuals face disproportionate rates of discrimina- tion across employment, housing, health- care, and public spaces. For example: • More than half of LGBTQ+ individ- uals have altered their behavior at work, such as hiding their identities or avoiding certain colleagues, to prevent harassment. • Nearly 1 in 3 LGBTQ+ adults have experienced housing discrimination, such as being denied access to shelters or harassed by neighbors. • More than 1 in 5 LGBTQ+ individ- uals avoided necessary medical care in the past year due to fear of disrespect or discrimination from providers. I've lived and worked in Worcester for 14 years, and as a nonbinary person who uses they/them pronouns, I know first- hand how the statistics about LGBTQ+ discrimination play out in daily life. Mis- gendering is a near-weekly experience for me, whether from strangers or colleagues, and each instance serves as a reminder of how our systems fail to treat respect for people's identities as a fundamental standard. Each incident forces a difficult deci- sion: Do I correct the person, knowing it might derail the focus of an important conversation? Or do I let it pass, absorbing yet an- other sting to keep things moving? is mental calculus isn't just exhaust- ing, it highlights how systems and norms are set up to make respecting someone's pronouns feel optional, minimizing the harm caused when people are misgendered. Dr. Jennifer Davis Carey of the Worcester Education Collaborative, where I proudly serve on the board, has described the trauma of racism as a thousand tiny cuts, which exposes the intersections of some experiences for folks holding marginalized identities. For members of the LGBTQ+ community, these cuts oen take the form of casual misgendering, dismissive comments, or outright discrimination. One or two may seem manageable, but the cumulative impact is devastating, eroding mental health, diminishing productivity, and forcing individuals to expend energy navigating harm rather than thriving in their roles. As the founder and president of Love Your Labels, an organization dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ youth and cultivat- ing affirming spaces, I see firsthand how these small but constant harms create larger barriers to belonging and success. It perpetuates harm to expect individu- als will bear the burden of correcting or educating others. It's on all of us to make respect and accountability non-nego- tiable. We must commit to dismantling the systems that perpetuate harm and building spaces where affirming some- one's identity isn't an act of allyship; it's the baseline for human decency. e City of Worcester claims to value diversity, equity, and inclusion. But values without action are empty. Leadership must set the tone by modeling account- ability, respect, and inclusion in every aspect of their work. Joshua Croke (they/them) is the found- er and president of Love Your Labels, a Worcester nonprofit supporting LGBTQ+ youth through art, fashion, and design. Guest Coulmn: Joshua Croke

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