As we enter Pride 2023, it's a good time for business owners to think about how to support LGBTQIA+ people in the workplace - both employees and customers alike.

Consider this: according to the most recent Gallup poll, 7.1% of Americans now self-identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or as something other than heterosexual. That figure is double the percentage from 2012, when Gallup first started measuring it.

The 2022 poll also shows that one in five Gen Z adults identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or other than heterosexual.

And expand that to the broader LGBTQIA+ cohort? That's a lot of people your business can impact for the better.

But in case you're unfamiliar with the acronym, here's what each letter means:

Lesbian - A woman who's inclined to partner with other women.

Gay - A man who's inclined to partner with other men.

Bisexual - An individual who's inclined to partner with both men and women.

Transgender - An individual whose gender identity doesn't match their sex assigned at birth.

Queer/Questioning - Either someone who doesn't define strictly on the spectrum, or an individual uncertain about or exploring their romantic orientation.

Intersex - An individual born with sex characteristics corresponding to both sexes.

Asexual - An individual who's not inclined to partner with any gender.

Plus (+) - Reserved to legitimize additional identities and those that might emerge in the future.

In order to support the community, it's important to be educated about the people within it. If you're unfamiliar with the different identities included in the LGTBQIA+ acronym, another resource that might help is the Human Rights Campaign's Glossary of Terms.

With that understood, let's explore how a large, multinational corporation may approach this type of support. Then, we'll look at some of the things you can do, as a business owner, to support your own LGBTQIA+ employees and people who interact with your business.