Issue #59 - Monday, 13 January 2025
The team at LGBT Great wishes you a happy and prosperous new year.
Welcome to issue 59 of the LGBT Great News Digest, a short briefing on the 5 LGBTQ+ news stories you need to know about right now. As always, here are 3 updates for you: 🏳️🌈 1 – Work at LGBT Great: Interested in working at LGBT Great? We are hiring for an Executive Assistant and Programmes Coordinator. Click here to read the job description and apply.
🎉2 - National Mentoring Month: Celebrate national mentoring month and get involved in our mentoring program to gain invaluable experience and skills- Sign up here. 💡 3 – iiBT 2025 Launch: The 2025 iiBT survey will be opening earlier this year on January 20th to enable Members with a wider timeframe for completion. We look forward to receiving your submissions. Click here to learn more about the iiBT. Check out this issue’s five news stories below and watch out for our next Digest issue on Monday, January 27th. Should you have any questions or require further information, please feel free to reach out to us. Our team is dedicated to providing any assistance you may need. The LGBT Great Team
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| 1. More than 2/3rd business leaders believe mentoring helped them boost profits and revenue |
| A new report was recently released by the Association of Business Mentors revealing that 65% of business leaders believed that being mentored had directly helped them in boosting revenue and 64% believed the same for profit levels. 72% also said that it improved their mental health and confidence at work. _____ Our View: The importance of mentoring in business success is further evidenced in 100% of Fortune 50 companies possessing formalised mentoring programmes. The myriad of data highlighting the power of mentoring underscores the importance of prioritising such programmes for both individual and organisational success.
LGBT Great's mentoring programme represents 100+ organisations and 400+ participants. It is easy and completely free to join. Click here to get involved and take your career to the next level.
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| 2. New Meta guidelines allow LGBTQ+ people to be called “mentally ill” as a form of free expression |
| On 07 January 2025, Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO announced changes to their censorship mechanisms prioritising “free speech” which now means that LGBTQ+ people can be called “mentally ill” and transgender & non-binary people can be referred to as “it” on Meta's social platforms. _____ Our View: This policy change is a deeply concerning step backwards for LGBTQ+ inclusion online. It gives a free pass to hate speech and misinformation, perpetuating harmful stereotypes that have been debunked by the medical and scientific community for decades.
Meta's decision to prioritise "free expression" over the safety and well-being of LGBTQ+ users is a betrayal of its responsibility to foster a welcoming and inclusive online environment.
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| 3. Top Lithuanain court rules anti-LGBTQ+ law unconstitutional |
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On 18 December 2024, the top Lithuanian Constitutional Court ruled that an anti-LGBTQ+ law which prohibits informing minors about same-sex relationships was unconstitutional according to Article 25 which guarantees the right to hold and express one's own convictions and seek, receive, & impart information and ideas. _____ Our View: This ruling is a significant victory for LGBTQ+ rights in Lithuania, a country where societal acceptance has lagged behind legal protections. While same-sex sexual activity has been legal since 1993, many Lithuanians still harbour negative attitudes towards LGBTQ+ people. This is reflected in the 2023 FRA study which found that 69% of Lithuanians hide their LGBTQ+ identity at work, the highest percentage among the 30 countries surveyed. Furthermore, a GLOBSEC survey revealed that 60% of respondents do not believe LGBTQ+ people should have the right to marry.
This court decision directly challenges these discriminatory attitudes. By striking down a law that aimed to silence and erase LGBTQ+ realities, the court has affirmed the fundamental rights of LGBTQ+ individuals to information and visibility.
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| 4. Ghana Supreme Court dismisses legal challenges against anti-LGBTQ+ law |
| On 18 December 2024, Ghana's Supreme Court unanimously dismissed two legal challenges against an anti-LGBTQ+ law. This legislation penalises individuals identifying as LGBTQ+ with up to three years in prison and imposes five-year sentences for those who form or fund LGBTQ+ groups. _____ Our View: This dismissal is a devastating blow to LGBTQ+ rights in Ghana and a stark reminder of the perilous situation faced by LGBTQ+ people in many parts of the world. By upholding this discriminatory law, the Supreme Court has effectively sanctioned the persecution and criminalisation of LGBTQ+ people and even their allies.
This decision will catalyse the alarmingly high levels of existing homophobic sentiment in Ghana, reflected in the results of a 2023 Afrobarometer survey where 91% respondents said they would not accept neighbours who were homosexual.
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| 5. Research finds 57% LGBTQ+ respondents would prefer using LGBTQ+-inclusive job boards |
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LGBT Great’s new research titled “Redefining the Future” found that 57% of LGBTQ+ respondents would prefer applying to roles through job boards that are LGBTQ+-inclusive. _____ Our View: Recognising this need, LGBT Great has partnered with Workable to create LGBT Great Careers, a job board that connects inclusive employers with underrepresented talent and allies.
With more than 2500 published jobs and 7000 applications to date, it is an invaluable resource for organisations committed to building diverse and inclusive workplaces. To learn more and get involved, contact lauren@lgbtgreat.com |
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Applications for new Corporate Members are open. If you would like to find out more about the membership options with LGBT Great, get in touch today via this short form. |
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Disclaimer The information contained in this newsletter is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by LGBT Great and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability with respect to the newsletter or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained in the newsletter for any purpose. All the quotations in the news are presented as originally published. LGBT Great does not necessarily share the views of the quoted authors and is not responsible for the accuracy of the information or quality of the analysis provided by them. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. |
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