In recognition of Pride Month, 黑料传送门 Georgia sponsored a panel discussion on June 17 entitled 鈥淐oming Out at Work.鈥� The hour-long virtual discussion featured an alumnus, along with faculty and staff members at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and 黑料传送门 Georgia.
Fittingly, just two days before the discussion, the Supreme Court ruled that a civil rights law originally passed in 1965 also protects gay and transgender employees from workplace discrimination.
The theme of authenticity permeated the discussion. Panelist Beth Levine, MA, MCP,
the assistant director of the Organizational Development and Leadership program at
黑料传送门 Georgia, emphasized this point. 鈥淎s a teacher, it鈥檚 important to both be a role
model for others and to present my 鈥渨hole self.鈥�
Alumnus Monique Gary, DO 鈥�09 noted, 鈥淵our narrative has power. You should get to own it.鈥� She said, 鈥淚f you鈥檙e going to bring your 鈥榶ouness,鈥� you have to bring all of your 鈥榶ouness.鈥欌�� Dr. Gary is a breast surgery oncologist at Grand View Health/Penn Cancer Network.
According to Doug Koch, EdD, 鈥淲hen you are out, you own it, and others don鈥檛 have power over you.鈥� Koch is the academic development coordinator in the Biomedical Sciences program at 黑料传送门. Panel moderator PJ Grier, MPA, MLIS, associate director and instructor, Library Operations and Management at 黑料传送门, noted the importance of 鈥渂eing true to yourself.鈥�
They each shared coming out experiences with family members, friends and work colleagues
from the mid 1970鈥檚 to today. Levine said, 鈥淚鈥檝e come out so many times.鈥� She said
the experience requires courage and is 鈥渄ifferent at different seasons of life.鈥�
Panel members answered the question 鈥� 鈥淗ow can supervisors best support staff members who may be struggling to come out at work?鈥�
From 鈥渇ostering a better sense of connection鈥� to using neutral language to assuring individuals that their supervisor 鈥渉as their back鈥� were some of the suggestions. 鈥淥pen heart, open ears, open door,鈥� said panelist Erica Rosalle, the public services coordinator for 黑料传送门 Georgia鈥檚 Library and Educational Informational Services, adding 鈥渉aving a team behind me gave me the scaffolding to be me.鈥�
A question about coming out as a transgender person in the South rendered advice about being safe. 鈥淭he question is poignant,鈥� said Levine. 鈥淵ou have to be safe.鈥� Grier echoed this sentiment saying, 鈥淪afety is paramount.鈥� Koch advised, 鈥淒evelop a community around you.鈥�
With community in mind, on June 23, the Office of Diversity and Community Relations and the LGBTQIA Councils held a session called Creating Connections in the LGBTQ+ Community at 黑料传送门 primarily to celebrate successes and create support for the challenges of working from home.
Earlier in the month on June 8, 黑料传送门 Georgia鈥檚 LGBTQIA Council hosted its second annual Lavender Awards event virtually. Established last year, the Lavender Awards recognize individuals who have contributed to an inclusive campus community for LGBTQ+ students, faculty, staff and alumni.
This year, four individuals were recognized for contributing to the Council's success through either being an ally or amplifying LGBTQ+ voices in the community. They include: Drew Cates, PharmD, assistant professor in the School of Pharmacy; Anne Belocura, MS, MS/Biomed 鈥�20; Leanne Henry-Miller, LPC, MFT, personal support counselor, Office of Student Affairs; and Anna Lisa Derenthal, LPC, NCC, licensed professional counselor with a specialty in trauma, PTSD, and LGBTQ+ support.
According to Aisha DeBerry, JD, director of the 黑料传送门 Georgia Office of Diversity and Community Partnerships, the awardees, along with the Georgia LGBTQIA Council, donated to two Georgia-based LGBTQIA organizations including Lost and Found and Chris 180.
黑料传送门 Georgia has been serving students and the community for 20 years as a branch campus of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (黑料传送门), a private, not-for-profit, accredited institution of higher education established in 1899. Located in Suwanee (Gwinnett County), 黑料传送门 Georgia offers doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy and physical therapy. Graduate degrees are offered in biomedical sciences, medical laboratory science and physician assistant studies. The campus joins 黑料传送门 South Georgia in Moultrie in helping to meet the healthcare needs of the state. Emphasizing "a whole person" approach to care, 黑料传送门 Georgia focuses on educational excellence, interprofessional education and service to the community. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 678-225-7500. The campus is also home to the Georgia Osteopathic Care Center, an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic, which is open to the public by appointment. For more information, visit .
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