This June, the colors of the rainbow are about to reign once again! Pride Month – a month-long celebration of equality, self-identity, and expression – has long become an instrumental moment for LGBTQ+ communities all around the world. It is a time when the community and its allies come together to celebrate the freedom to express themselves while never forgetting the history that sparked a movement that defied gender inequalities.

More than Just a Celebration: The History of Pride

On June 28, 1969, police conducted a raid on Stonewall Inn, a famous gay bar in Greenwich Village, New York. The bar’s patrons – gays, lesbians, transgender, and bisexuals – were forced to leave the premises, prompting tension. As the patrons resisted arrest, a crowd of bystanders expressed their stance against inequality by throwing coins and bottles at the officers.

The event sparked the gay community of New York to finally stand up against years of harassment by authorities. It led to riots that lasted for three days, and eventually resulted in the creation of the Gay Liberation Front and the Gay Activists Alliance. These organizations held protests, met with political leaders, and prompted a generation to rise against gender discrimination. One year after the Stonewall riots, the first Gay Pride march was held in New York City.

Pride’s roots trace back to a history of inequity. However, the fight for equality continues, and today – despite a long journey – we have made some strides. Pride is not just about the parties, the overabundance of rainbow flags, nor the colorful costumes and parades – it is also about being together, recognizing the LGBT+’s community’s accomplishments, and empowering one another, guided by love, acceptance, and expression.

We must never erase the past. Celebrating Pride means honoring those who have fought for the freedom that we all have today and making sure that we continue the fight against all kinds of discrimination and injustice.

Teleperformance: An Ally to the Community

Being a company that values diversity and inclusion, Teleperformance paves the way for our employees to express themselves, regardless of color, gender preference, religion, or race. We continuously provide safe spaces for our LGBTQ+ community where their voices are heard and amplified, always striving to create a harmonious environment where acceptance, equality, and inclusion are celebrated. We go beyond labels, focus on togetherness, empower one another, and believe that our differences make us stronger.

As allies to the LGBTQ+ community, we are committed to break the bias and remove barriers that hinder us from achieving true inclusion. We recognize intersectionality and strive to learn more about it to be a better ally to all marginalized communities: people of color, women, immigrants, Black people, and Indigenous people, among many others. We leave no one behind.

All over the world, Teleperformance is one with our LGBTQ+ communities and all allies in celebrating Pride. We have 30 countries who will be celebrating Pride across the world. Here are a few initiatives that will be held this Pride Month!

Teleperformance in Portugal: For TP Portugal, Pride Month is dedicated to the visibility of the LGBTQ+ community. These are a few of their (very effective) initiatives:

• A workshop from LGBTQ+ community experts about sexual orientation and gender identity for the Leadership
• The release of “Each Word Matters,” a LGBTQ+ leaflet shared in the Leadership communication group
• The availability of the colored pronoun circles to communicate employees’ own preferred pronouns within the company
• Workshop sessions for all from LGBTQ+ community experts about sexual orientation and gender identity
• Introducing “Project Charlie,” a process for all employees to choose their preferred names
• Highlighting Project Charlie’s positive impact on the transgender community

Teleperformance in the United States: Our teams in the US will celebrate Pride by hosting several activities that highlight gender empowerment and awareness. Virtual events will be held across sites all over the country, where employees can come together and learn more about Pride and its history. “Crafterpalooza,” a special crafts activity, invites teams to create decorations that support Pride. Our employees in the US will also share social media posts that feature how they celebrated Pride, be it through parades, festivals, TikTok challenges, and more. Finally, powerful infographics depicting the history of the LGBTQIA+ community will be posted during Pride month to educate employees.

 
Teleperformance in the Nordics: For our sites in the Nordics, Pride Month will be celebrated through posters as well as spreading LGBTQ+ and Pride awareness on the Intranet. Our teams will also hold a Nordic quiz that carries a Pride and diversity theme.

 
Teleperformance in the Philippines: To celebrate Pride, our teams in the Philippines have organized a Pride Forum and a benefit concert.

 
Teleperformance in Argentina: Our teams at TP Argentina will post information related to the Stonewall riots, in hopes of spreading awareness about the true history of Pride and why it is celebrated.

Teleperformance in Colombia: TP Colombia is set to celebrate the Pride Month complete with activities starting from June 4 to June 28. There will be virtual and face-to-face sessions that discuss why Pride is celebrated. In addition, sessions organized by the local TP Pride will be held to educate and spread awareness on Pride, while also discussing topics that are close to the LGBTQ+ community.

May we always find the strength to speak up against injustice! Let us never stop fighting for equality. We wish a Happy Pride to our LGBTQ+ communities, and to those who celebrate! Be safe and be well.

#BeyondLabels #HappyPride #ProudtobeTP