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How can we support young LGBTQIA+ legal professionals?
Lawyer and Out for Australia’s (OFA) Queensland director Renee Shike spoke to Lawyers Weekly about the importance of supporting and acknowledging young LGBTQIA+ legal professionals in workplaces.
Jess Feyder
Renee is a queer, non-binary Asian-Australian, who is passionate about intersectionality and advocating for people to be seen and celebrated as their whole, authentic selves.
“This is reflected in the fact that 68 per cent of people go back into the closet when they start work.
“In my experience, this is because we want to make sure that we will be accepted for who we are and will not be disadvantaged both socially and professionally.”
For a transgender or gender-diverse person, going back into the closet is not always an option, and entering the working world can be even more daunting, said Renee.
“We spend so much time at work, and it’s so important that it’s a safe space,” they said. “This is why workplaces should aim beyond inclusion, and create an environment where people can truly belong.”
Renee spoke to Lawyers Weekly about how law firms, and all workplaces, can facilitate a sense of belonging for LGBTQIA+ people.
“Most law firms have diversity, inclusion and belonging initiatives and groups,” said Renee. “The importance of these groups cannot be underestimated.”
Renee, like many other LGBTQIA+, considered the authenticity of the diversity initiatives at different workplaces when looking into clerkships and their graduate career — to ensure they wouldn’t feel pressure to go back into the closet at work.
Renee noted that good law firms, like their own, go beyond standard initiatives and provide educational opportunities through events and articles on significant LGBTQIA+ days. Firms such as Renee’s encourage LGBTQIA+ people to tell their stories — such efforts inspire people to adopt inclusive practices.
“When we are visible, we are vulnerable,” they said. “We tell our stories, we wear our hearts on our sleeves, we invest our time and resources into these activities to build a more accepting society.
“Get involved, appreciate the work that goes into these initiatives and approach it all with an open heart and mind.”
If people learned more about transgender, intersex, and gender-diverse people, they’d find that we are just humans trying our best to live authentically, said Renee.
Renee will soon judge OFA’s 30 Under 30 awards that celebrate young LGBTQIA+ people under the age of 30 who are making a difference to the pride community.
Renee said the awards provide a platform not only to celebrate but to amplify the impact of LGBTQIA+ role models.
“These awards shine a light on people who have tread this path, and not only survived but thrived,” they said.
“By recognising these incredible LGBTQIA+ people, we hope to provide inspiring role models to people starting their careers, whether it be in the law or in any other workplace.
“If LGBTQIA+ people can see people like themselves being accepted and celebrated at work, they can be more confident that they can walk into that profession or workplace as their whole authentic selves.”
Active allies have played an important role in Renee’s career, by listening to their perspectives and experiences and taking an interest in how they could best provide support.
“They are also active allies when I’m not around,” said Renee, “correcting people when they refer to me incorrectly, and educating and empowering others to be better allies.
“This means a lot to LGBTQIA+ people, because bearing the burden of educating people or defending our identities can be emotionally taxing and is inherently personal.
“Having someone else step in, support and educate others makes our lives easier, and makes us feel more included.”
