Pride month shouldn't be the only time that
LGBTQ+ people feel welcome as they move through the world.
Unfortunately, though, sometimes this is the case, which is
exactly why measures should be taken year-round to ensure that all
people feel safe when walking around the world, and shouldn't have to
deal with uncomfortable looks or questions for just being themselves.
And, The Trevor Project, in its work with United Airlines, is seeking to make airlines, specifically, more welcoming and safe to queer travelers.
One
of the best ways to make airlines LGBTQ+ friendly is to make sure that
all employees are understanding of and attuned to queer identities and
specific needs. In its partnership with The Trevor Project, United
Airlines gives its employees access to Ally Trainings; as The Trevor
Project's head of corporate development Muneer Panjwani describes, these
trainings give attendees "a foundational understanding of what it means
to be LGBTQ+... A lot of people [in the company] are really interested
in learning how to be an ally, they just don't know how to do so."
Since
these trainings aren't available globally just yet, United is also
working with The Trevor Project to bring all of its employees an online
learning module "so that all of the employees have a baseline
understanding of LGBTQ+ knowledge." This will be available to everyone
at the company, regardless of position, so that it will be more
inclusive at its core.
What happens if this
information isn't given? Well, it can make going through the process of
getting to the gate feel demeaning. The need for understanding LGBTQ+
identities extends to TSA agents, as well, especially when people are
going through security screenings. Panjwani points out that "trans and
genderqueer people sometimes alter their bodies" to help them present as
the gender they identify as. So, if someone wears a chest binder, for
instance, they can often be met with hostility or a lack of
understanding from agents. "They may flag that person as a threat, and
then they have to go through security checking, which is a very
dehumanizing process for a lot of trans people because a lot of the TSA
agents don't know what it means to be trans," he notes. "They don't know
what a binder is. They don't know some of the things that trans people
do to make their bodies look like how they feel inside."
For
its customers, though, United is taking measures to ensure that people
can feel that their identities are validated. The company has started to
offer a third gender option
to customers booking flights, so that those who don't identify as
either "male" or "female" won't have to lump themselves in one of those
categories when they book a flight. This makes the brand the first
airline to do so, and Panjwani says it will help nonbinary people to
feel accepted. "When people have the option to define themselves,
especially trans and genderqueer people, when they have the option to
present themselves as how they want to be seen, it creates a space where
they feel validated and affirmed," he details.
If
there's one way for every airline to do better, Panjwani notes, it's
for attendants to not take a person's pronouns for granted. "An easy
thing that all airlines can do is to start sharing their own pronouns
and asking for people's pronouns," he says. "It's a very easy thing to
do, and actually changes the culture dramatically to be more inclusive
and respectful."
And, too, on top of these
institutional changes, United is lifting up its partners at The Trevor
Project to help it continue its important work in helping prevent
suicides in the LGBTQ+ community. United MileagePlus, the airline's
loyalty program, donated over 1 million MileagePlus miles to the
organization that members redeemed to attend a number of Pride event
activations, which Panjwani notes will help its employees get to areas
that need its support. "Traveling is a significant cost to any
organization," he continues. "These miles will ensure our teams are
where they need to be to further our work to end suicide among LGBTQ+
young people
Panjwani hopes that the leadership
of United and The Trevor Project's work can lead to a widespread
industry change. When asked what other airlines could do, he tells me
that they should follow their leadership. Panjwani has a few examples:
"Change the system to include options beyond the gender binary. Train
employees on LGBTQ+ allyship. Understand specific concerns and issues
that LGBTQ+ travelers face, and record those issues to understand the
extent and try to actually address them in a meaningful way."
fonte: https://nylon.com
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