Leadership magazine Sept/Oct 2015 V45 No 1 | Page 22

If not
you, then

who?

Those of us who identify
as LGBT and their allies
must lead the effort
to help LGBT students
and staff claim their
space in conversations
about equity.

W

e are living in a time of
unprecedented change in
education: socially, academically, and financially.
The way we respond as educational leaders
will surely determine the future. One area
in which there is much concern is addressing the needs of our lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender (LGBT) youth and employees.
There are many ways school administrators
can support LGBT students and employees
to step out of the shadows and claim their
space in the conversation on diversity and
equity.
After all, if you do not initiate these conversations, who will? If you will not support
LGBT administrators, co-workers, parents/
guardians and students, who will?

School leaders as role models
A recent survey by the Human Rights
Campaign, “The Cost of the Closet and the
Rewards of Inclusion” (www.hrc.org), found
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Leadership

that 53 percent of LGBT workers hide who
they are at work. What is disheartening
about this statistic is that when people feel
forced to hide who they are, they are not
bringing all of themselves to their work. It
means that they are omitting a significant
portion of their life.
As leaders in the education system, our
work is people – students and staff – and
ensuring that our schools and district offices
are thriving organizations for all of these
people. How can people thrive if they are
hiding? We must serve as role models. Those
of us who identify as LGBT and those of us
who are allies must support one another.
This can be done in many seemingly simple ways. As leaders in our organizations,
we have to be willing to start the conversations and say the words, “I support LGBT
employees and students.” This kind of stateBy Julie A. Vitale