Today I received the following in an e-mail form one of our staff officers with regards to diversity. I came out a little over 4 months ago and ever since she keeps sending things out with regards to Work Place Diversity. It's at least a start, the DoD has never been one for rapid change.
A product of...
Navy Office of Information
www.navy.milJuly 11, 2008
Diversity in Action
"If Americans look in the mirror, they are going to see all the different cultures, and when they look at the Navy they should see exactly that. Here we are in New York with Ellis Island the beginning of the story of the melting pot that is continuing, and we need to understand that and recognize and pursue that to tap the culture that has made this country great and continues to make the Navy great."
– Adm. Jonathan Greenert, Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command Summer 2008 is the 'Summer of Diversity' within the Navy. Sailors and civilians alike are engaging in activities across the force that support a culture of personal and professional development. Company of Choice – Diversity, Quality of Life Programs Diversity of ideas, experiences and abilities meld together to make our Navy stronger. Navy efforts in diversity—collectively and as individuals—are increasing and our actions are being recognized.
• The Navy was chosen as a Best Diversity Company for 2008 by readers of Diversity/Careers in Engineering & Information Technology magazine, as one of nine government agencies in a group of 100 honorees selected from more than 600 companies, government agencies, and other organizations employing technical professionals.
• The Families and Work Institute honored the Navy for embracing diverse work force needs and addressing quality of life issues. The Navy joins an elite list of honorees such as Ernst & Young and Xerox considered the best at addressing the social, personal and professional needs of employees.
• HM2 Joelene Solares was recognized by the Society of American Indian Government Employees for demonstrable contributions in recruiting, retaining, and providing career advancement opportunities to American Indian and Native Alaskan employees. Navy civilians Roger Yee and Joel Garrido Sr., ET2 Ester Emoto and PS1 Lorna Mae Devera were recognized by the Federal Asian Pacific American Council for promoting equal opportunity and cultural diversity within the Navy. Navy showcases its talent through award nominations, speakers, and displays at diversity events.
• The Navy is participating in a number of events this summer including the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) convention; Women's Leadership Symposium; Tuskegee Airmen Inc. convention; National Naval Officers Association (NNOA) conference; and Academic, Cultural, Technological, Scientific Olympics.
• Attendees meet potential mentors, often of the same social and ethnic backgrounds and gender.
• Participants communicate the Navy's messages and present a positive example to other Americans.
• Many diversity activities sponsored by the Navy are designed to increase accession of youth into STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering and math).
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• Diversity is understanding and valuing every person's different skills, talents and experience.
• Diversity has made our Nation and Navy stronger.
• Our ability to attract, develop, mentor and retain top diverse talent is paramount if we are to remain a strong, talented and relevant force.
• The Navy must reflect the face of our Nation in order to remain an agile fighting force now and in the future.
• USNS Carl l Brashear (T-AKE 7) will be christened and launched in a ceremony Sept. 18 in San Diego. The ship is named after BMCM (Master Diver) Carl Brashear who was the first black deep-sea diver and Master Diver.
• Naval Officer Mentorship Association (NOMA) is a new group designed to provide mentorship opportunities to officers. NOMA's additional focus is to recruit, support and retain officers of Asian Pacific heritage and is a good resource for all leaders.
• On July 26, 1948 President Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order 9981, guaranteeing "equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion, or national origin."
7 Things NEVER to Say to LGBT CoworkersBy Daryl Hannah. Date Posted: March 07, 2008
For most, coming out at work is not an easy task. You can't be sure how your company or peers will respond to your revelation. And despite recent reports that the workplace is growing increasingly accepting to LGBT employees, people often don't know how to welcome a colleague who recently came out the closet.
PricewaterhouseCoopers executive Stephanie Peel's history is a corporate America coming-out success story. When she came out professionally nearly 10 years ago, she was welcomed by her colleagues. "I came out personally in 1997 and came out professionally in 1999. Fortunately, I never heard anything not positive," says Peel.
Peel now serves on the company's LGBT-partner advisory board, which consists of 10--12 leaders in the firm who are LGBT, and provides guidance to the management committee to help further advance initiatives and activities. PricewaterhouseCoopers is No. 12 on The 2007 Diversity Inc Top 50 Companies for Diversity® list and No. 2 on the Top 10 Companies for GLBT Employees.
"I often tell people who ask me about this [that] it's not just about what you can't say or shouldn't say because sometimes I find that colleagues feel stymied in that they shouldn't say anything at all. There is a lot of room for the things you can say to give clues to people that you are inclusive and culturally sensitive," warns Peel.
So what are 10 things should you NEVER say to your LGBT colleagues? Here's what GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network), Out & Equal Workplace Project, and Peel suggest:
No. 1:
"I suspected you were gay."
Although it is a common response, it's insensitive and plays into stereotypes.
No. 2:
"I'm sorry." Why should you apologize for a colleague's orientation? This implies judgment and can make the situation more difficult. Would you apologize for a person's ethnicity or gender?
No. 3:
"Why did you tell me that?" It's important for people to bring their "whole selves" to work, and coming out of the closet is certainly a part of who one is. "The notion of leaving a big part of yourself at home and walking into work is like walking around with two types of shoes on," says Selisse Berry executive director of Out & Equal, an advocacy organization that provides services to companies, human-resource professionals, employee-resource groups and individuals.
No. 4:
"Which bathroom do you use?" Transgender people often are asked what gender they are. Such questions are inappropriate, warns Out & Equal. It is important to remember that gender identity is becoming an increasingly sensitive subject.
No. 5:
"We are not close enough for you to share that information with me." Not all employees are interested in their coworker's personal lives. If you feel a colleague may have shared too much information, you can simply say, "Thank you for telling me that," says Peel.
No. 6:
Referring to coworkers as "she-male."There has been a lot of uproar these days over this phrase. Transgender employees often are the brunt of culturally insensitive jokes and comments.
No. 7:
"What do you like to do in bed?" Sexual questions and comments are always off-limits. Not only do you run the risk of offending a colleague, you are also teetering the line of sexual harassment. It's important not to be confused between trying to understand someone's personal life and inappropriate sexual harassment, warns Kevin Jennings, executive director of GLSEN.
