To commemorate Pride Month, we asked some MPI members to tell us about an area where the meeting and event industry has clearly made progress in terms of LGBTQ+ inclusion and where more work remains.
Cory Fransway, CMM, Strategic Account Director, Maritz Global Events (MPI Chicago Area Chapter): “Over the past several years, boards of many major industry organizations have identified diversity, equity and inclusion as a top priority. As one aspect of these initiatives, there have been obvious efforts made to visibly embrace those identifying as LGBTQ+. One example was MPI adopting an LGBTQ-focused social event at the World Education Congress (WEC). Some variation of this type of gathering had been loosely organized in conjunction with that event for decades prior. However, bringing this to the forefront, opening it to all who wanted to participate and placing it on the official agenda was a monumental move, from my perspective. As someone who had experienced a warm welcome from the beginning of my time as an MPI member and had also grown in leadership to ultimately serve as president for one of MPI’s largest chapters (shout out to the Chicago Area Chapter!), it was an important moment of affirmation and reflected a pivotal alignment of the professional and deeply personal.
As progress is being made toward equality in our broader society and globally, it is vitally important that our industry continues to foster creation of safe and welcoming spaces for all people to gather, to express their authentic selves and to celebrate one another. Just as there has been strategic focus on elevating the voice of women and promoting leadership development in our industry over several decades, likewise I hope to see more individuals across the LGBTQ+ spectrum in the spotlight, as well. Every day, we are designing event experiences for people, with all different backgrounds. My hope is that the example set by MPI at WEC and being fostered in other industry communities will reverberate throughout this industry. My charge to those who want to lead us forward into the future is that they work to create event experiences that take a wholistic view of participants into account. And as part of that design approach, event content creators identify uniquely relevant ways to serve and speak to LGBTQ+ audiences specifically.”
Ann Garvey, CMP, CEM, LinkedIn.com/in/anngarveycmp (Potomac Chapter): “During conference registration, it’s becoming more common to request pronouns as part of the registration process and then include attendees’ pronouns on their name badges at the conference. For a cisgendered individual, that likely doesn’t appear to mean much, but for someone who isn’t cisgendered, it allows them to “be seen” for how they identify themselves. It gives them a sense of authenticity, and that’s powerful and comforting.
But there’s an area where much work remains: the incidences of transgender and gender nonconforming individuals being attacked, accosted or bullied when they need to use the restroom are becoming increasingly an issue. Luckily, there’s a website that’s gaining visibility, I’ll Go With You, that serves two purposes: it creates awareness of the issues/dangers LGBTQ+ individuals (especially those who identify as transgender and nonbinary) encounter when they simply want go to the bathroom and it provides cisgendered individuals an opportunity to be allies and help all of their fellow humans. My dear friend, Renee Roley, made me aware of this website. She was courageous and a pioneer in many ways. In her memory and honor, I encourage you to please make a note of the website, and when you have the opportunity, do the right thing!”
Steve Kemble, Principal, Steve Kemble Event Design (MPI Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter): “The meeting and event industry has made progress in terms of inclusion and diversity, yet I encourage people to remember that while being LGBTQ+ is obviously a huge part of our lives, it is not the only part of our lives. We as a community fight every day to have the same rights and to be treated as anyone else—a person and LGBTQ+ is just one part of who they are, not the entire picture.
Please know that we as a community so much appreciate the efforts being made to consciously make the environment more inclusive, and also realize you may make some good faith mistakes along the way, and that’s OK!
I personally would like to see MPI and other organizations in the industry form more resource groups to bring LGBTQ+ people together. Add more educational sessions at industry conferences on how to make the workplace and meetings and events more LGBTQ-inclusive. Invite corporations that champion LGBTQ+ equality such as American Airlines, IKEA, Toyota, Visa, Coca-Cola, Accenture and more to share their impactful initiatives that support their LGBTQ+ associates at these conferences.”
David Kliman, CMM, President, The Kliman Group (MPI Northern California Chapter): “The meeting and event industry has made progress regarding LGBTQ+ equality and inclusion. When I was a young gay hotelier right out of college in the late 1970s, [many] event professionals were closeted and there was hardly an inkling of acceptance or inclusion in the industry for members of the LGBTQ+ community. We were consummate outsiders even though our numbers in the hospitality industry were large and widespread. Even as late as eight or 10 years ago, there was little, if any, business content specific to or in acknowledgment of the LGBTQ+ community at event industry meetings. But while LGBTQ+ social gatherings have long taken place during industry events, invitations were always ‘word of mouth’ and the events were managed surreptitiously.
Today, some meeting industry events offer business content specific to the LGBTQ+ community (often under the banner of diversity, equity and inclusion). Public LGBTQ+ social events take place during major industry conventions such as MPI, PCMA, IMEX, etc., and are attended by large numbers of people. These events are often sponsored by major hospitality industry companies and published on convention agendas. Plus, the LGBT Meeting Professionals Association (LGBT MPA) is well established and works to connect, advance and empower LGBTQ+ meeting professionals. These all represent a sea change of acceptance, equity and inclusion in the meeting and event industry.
But there is still lots of work remaining. Equity for the LGBTQ+ community is far from uniform or complete. It differs greatly regionally and nationally, and work must continue to ensure LGBTQ+ equity and acceptance. We all must continue the good fight, learn from our collective history, advocate for equality and never give up.”
Gary Murakami, GTP, GLP, CMP, CMM, DES, Director, Global Sales, MGM Resorts International (MPI Northern California Chapter): “I am encouraged in recent years that the meeting and event industry has demonstrated increased meaningful support for LGBTQ+ inclusion. We continue to see more visible LGBTQ+ voices in thought leadership roles within various organizations, creating further positive momentum and change. In addition, with more focus on attendee engagement and meeting experiences, our industry recognizes how meetings and events can influence and inspire social and economic impact and transformation through meeting design, inclusion of different communities and legislative support and advocacy of anti-discriminatory laws or policies. While progress has been made, however, there are still opportunities to further LGBTQ+ inclusion specific to transgender rights and support, as well as increased visibility, understanding and acceptance of the entire tapestry of the LGBTQ+ community and experience.”
Janet Sperstad, CMP, Faculty Director, Madison Area Technical College (MPI Wisconsin Chapter): “Industry associations representing events have made strides in supporting inclusion, making micro-moments statements and creating space for us to gather with our peers and bringing up important topics in leadership sessions.
We’ve seen an increase in businesses across the U.S. denying products and services to gays due to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2017. We now wait to hear from our Supreme Court on if an organization receiving taxpayer funds can turn away same sex couples. To say I am nervous is an understatement, as yes, I have been discriminated against—from micro-moments to openly flat out.”
John Ehlenfeldt, CDME, CMP, Executive Vice President, Visit Huntington Beach - Surf City USA (MPI Southern California Chapter): “The meeting and event industry has made much progress for the LGBTQ+ community around inclusion. Corporations and associations embrace June as Pride Month, they have diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) statements on their websites and programs for the LGBTQ+ community woven into their core values. MPI has done their part with embracing the LGBTQA/DEI reception and making it part of the program at the World Education Congress and with a resource page on their website.
The area where work remains is in the realm of leadership positions. The percentage of LGBTQ+ leaders in our industry is not reflective of the LGBTQ+ population. The industry should strive to identify, cultivate and promote more of its leaders to be reflective of the LGBTQ+ community.”
Photo by Sara Rampazzo on Unsplash
