The importance of making the events industry more inclusive and welcoming to all continues to be a major talking point. With June being Pride Month, it’s an opportune time to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community and reflect on the industry’s accomplishments and ways to overcome obstacles that it continues to confront.   

We checked in with four leading event professionals to find out what their organizations are doing to be more inclusive of the LGBTQIA+ community, how they are making their events more inclusive, the major challenges within the industry, how they are personally honoring Pride Month, and what advice they have for the next generation of LGBTQ+ leaders. 

Dave Jefferys, CEO/Executive Director, LGBT Meeting Professionals Association

What are you most proud of in terms of the ways your organization has been supporting the LGBTQIA+ community? 

We have been able to connect members of the LGBTQ+ community who are part of the meetings and events industry. We are the first and only association globally to have done this. As part of our global mission, this year we participated in IMEX Frankfurt and spoke with attendees from 49 countries from five continents. In six years, we have grown to 2,500 members from 61 counties. 

What advice do you have for making events more inclusive of the LGBTQIA+ community? 

We will be releasing the first definitive paper on how to make events more inclusive and how to work around challenges that meeting planners face when booking into destinations that have anti-LGBT policy or legislation. Stay tuned.

What are you personally doing to celebrate Pride Month? 

Through the entire month of June, our weekly email publication is dedicated to Pride celebrations and destinations in support of the LGBTQ+ community. Subscribe here.

When and where is your next meetup?

Upcoming events include PCMA Educon in June in Montreal, Connect Meetings in August in Minneapolis and IMEX America in October in Las Vegas. Register here.

Maddie Bird, Associate Marketing Manager, Channel, Informa Tech

What are you doing to make your event(s) more inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community?

Channel Partners and Channel Futures strive to make our events as inclusive as possible for all marginalized groups. Some of the ways we do this for the LGBTQIA+ community specifically are by ensuring we always have a gender-neutral restroom onsite at our events, providing a wide variety of pronoun stickers to our attendees for their badges and ensuring gender neutral language wherever possible. This past year, for example, we changed the name of our nursing station from “Nursing Mothers’ Area” to “Nursing Parents’ Area” to be more inclusive of trans people who may not identify as mothers, but who still may need to use the facility. We also partner with organizations like Xposure Inclusion & Diversity Council, who work to provide opportunities and a voice to all marginalized groups in our industry. Finally, at our events we have DE&I-focused content that elevates the perspectives of people in our industry from marginalized groups. 

What is the No. 1 issue or challenge facing the LGBTQ+ community in the events industry?

I believe that transphobia is currently the No. 1 issue facing the LGBTQIA+ community, not just in the event industry, but in all areas of our society. This is most apparent in certain U.S. states where anti-trans legislation such as bans on drag show and bans on transgender-specific healthcare have been introduced, but it is also prevalent in other places that are traditionally seen as more “progressive.” Transphobia comes out in events specifically through refusal to respect colleagues’ or attendees’ proper pronouns and gendered dress codes, lack of gender-neutral restrooms and other necessary facilities, and more. Great strides have been made in the event space to fight transphobia and make events more welcoming to our trans guests and colleagues, but we still have a long way to go.

What are you personally doing to celebrate Pride Month?

I’m celebrating by financially supporting local Philly organizations that work to advance the rights of our community, as well as taking time for myself to relax and spend time with friends and family. Pride is all about self-care and community support!

Tess Vismale, Chief Event Rescuer, Event Technologist, iSocialx

What are you most proud of in terms of the ways iSocialx has been supporting the LGBTQIA+ community?

My mother was a medical social worker and counseled one of the first gender-affirming surgeries in the ’70s. She instilled in my family the importance of service and viewing everyone with excellence and integrity. I was raised to have high moral standards, be a global citizen and love humanity, and I founded iSocailx with the same morals. We hire and collaborate with LGBTQ companies and planners, bringing them to spaces they might not have been invited to do business.

As an independent planner, we do business with our peers all of the time, which gives you the liberty to choose who we work alongside. Currently, we partner with Yinka Freeman of Triple Pocket Events, an LGBTQ-owned business that, through events, aims to address the specific needs and challenges faced by the LGBTQ community.

What are you doing to make your events more inclusive of the LGBTQIA+ community?

As a company, we have a DEI disclaimer that we put in our contracts and on our website and share in our email. I challenge all organizations to create their own. Our disclaimer states:

“All requesting parties will be asked to provide insight into how they are supporting diversity, inclusion and equity in their programming.

iSocialx reserves the right to decline opportunities that have unbalanced representation. Furthermore, iSocialx reserves the right to terminate agreements if programming changes make the overall event less diverse.

It is a core belief of iSocialx and our partners that diversity and inclusion and equity are not just important but vital to the future of the events and broader business community. Unique and diverse perspectives foster innovation and growth while encouraging better collaboration through mutual understanding.

We partner with events and companies that do not discriminate and seek balanced representation for all races, colors, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, status as a veteran and basis of disability or any other federal, state, or local protected class.”

Yinka Freeman, Founder and CEO, Triple Pocket Events

What is the No. 1 issue or challenge facing the LGBTQIA+ community in the events industry?

The need for full inclusivity and equal treatment within the events industry is a prominent challenge faced by the LGBTQ+ community. The LGBTQ+ community continues to face discrimination and prejudice (during the hiring process, work assignments and vendor selection), hindering their ability to fully participate and thrive in event-related roles and adversely affecting their mental health and well-being.

One of the primary challenges revolves around representation and visibility. LGBTQ+ individuals often find limited representation at all levels of the industry, including leadership positions. This lack of representation can lead to feelings of marginalization and difficulty in finding role models and mentors who share similar experiences. Without these figures, it becomes harder for LGBTQ+ professionals to navigate their career growth and access opportunities for advancement.

Furthermore, the absence of comprehensive policies and practices addressing LGBTQ+ inclusion and anti-discrimination measures is another challenge. Many event organizations lack clear guidelines and support systems for LGBTQ+ professionals, making it difficult for them to assert their rights and find workplaces that prioritize their well-being.

Addressing these challenges by creating an environment where LGBTQ+ professionals feel valued, respected and empowered to thrive requires a collective effort from industry professionals, event organizers and organizations.

What advice do you have for the next generation of LGBTQIA+ leaders?

Embrace your authentic self and let your uniqueness shine. Don't be afraid to bring your whole self to the table, as your individuality is your strength. Surround yourself with a supportive network of mentors and allies who will uplift and empower you along your journey. Seek out opportunities to learn, grow and expand your knowledge. Stay resilient in the face of adversity and use setbacks as fuel for personal and professional growth. Advocate for inclusivity, equality and representation in all spaces. Remember that your voice matters and can make a difference. And above all, never underestimate the power of your own potential. Dream big and have the confidence to turn those dreams into reality. The world needs your talent, passion and leadership. You have the ability to shape a more inclusive and accepting future for all. So go out there, embrace your power, and lead with pride. The world needs your talent, passion and leadership. You have the ability to shape a more inclusive and accepting future for all. So go out there, embrace your power, and lead with pride.

Lisa Plummer Savas, Lori Tenny and Danica Tormohlen contributed to this article.

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