LGBT AT USDA:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, Transgender Special Emphasis Program
Presented by Perry Stevens
LGBT Special Emphasis Program Manager
United States Department of Agriculture
June 8, 2011
SEXUAL ORIENTATION DIVERSITY IN THE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

April 1993, Secretary Mike Espy issued the
Department’s EEO and Civil Rights Policy
Statement which specifically prohibited
discrimination and harassment based on
sexual orientation.
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SEXUAL ORIENTATION DIVERSITY IN THE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

June 1993, a Departmental Task Force was
formed to develop recommendations designed
to implement the Secretary’s policy regarding
this issue.
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SEXUAL ORIENTATION DIVERSITY IN THE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

July 1999, USDA announced the formation of
the Second USDA Task Force on Sexual
Orientation.
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SEXUAL ORIENTATION DIVERSITY IN THE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
“If the Department fully implements its sexual
orientation nondiscrimination and diversity policy,
USDA stands to gain greater openness, job
satisfaction, and retention among its workforce;
increased productivity and customer service; and the
prevention of costly complaints. We have estimated
the potential savings that could be realized by the
Department through this course of action to be
approximately $23 million annually.”
Report of the 2nd USDA Task Force on Sexual Orientation
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SEXUAL ORIENTATION DIVERSITY IN THE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Fall 2000 established a Secretary’s Advisory
Council on sexual orientation: Gay & Lesbian
Employee Advisory Council (GLEAC)
 Advise
USDA leadership on issues affecting GLBT
employees.
 Assist in the implementation of Departmental
policies.
 Develop and deliver training addressing sexual
orientation nondiscrimination.
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SEXUAL ORIENTATION DIVERSITY IN THE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

June 2009, Secretary Vilsack signed
Departmental Regulation 4230-002 creating a
Special Emphasis Program for LGBT
employees.
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SEXUAL ORIENTATION DIVERSITY IN THE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
“We’re going to sign a document that is our
collective commitment from the leadership of
the Department down to every single employee
that suggests that diversity, including gay and
lesbian diversity, is going to be celebrated,
going to be recognized, and going to be part of
the USDA experience.”
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack
USDA Pride Celebration
June 4, 2009
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SEXUAL ORIENTATION DIVERSITY IN THE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

From 1999 till 2009, USDA had the Gay and
Lesbian Employees Advisory Council (GLEAC)
CURRENT ISSUES FOR LGBT INDIVIDUALS
IN THE UNITED STATES
 Employment
protections
 Same-sex
partnerships
 Domestic
partner benefits
 Don’t
Ask, Don’t Tell
 Violence
– Hate Crimes
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WORKPLACE ISSUES
 Heterosexism
 Can
(institutionalized homophobia)
be overt or hidden
 Fear
 Harassment
 Jokes,
 Lavender
& hostile work environment
comments, threats
Ceiling
 Advancement
and promotion
 Unconscious
bias
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WORKPLACE ISSUES
Heterosexism
A system of attitudes, bias and discrimination in favor of
opposite-sex sexuality and relationships.
It can include the presumption that everyone is
heterosexual or that opposite-sex attractions and
relationships are the only norm and therefore superior.
People of any sexual orientation can hold such attitudes
and bias. Nonetheless, heterosexism as discrimination
ranks gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, transgender people
as second-class citizens with regard to various legal and
civil rights, economic opportunities, and social equality
in the majority of the world’s jurisdictions and societies.

WORKPLACE ISSUES
 Heterosexism
Can be explicit or open discrimination:
 Anti-gay
laws, policies and institutional practices
 Harassment
based on sexual orientation or
perceived sexual orientation
 Negative
stereotyping
 Discriminatory
language
 Using
the “gay panic” defense in assault and
murder cases
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WORKPLACE ISSUES
 Heterosexism
Can be implicit or hidden discrimination:

Operates through invisibility, underrepresentation, and erasure

Exclusion of historical and political figures’ and celebrities’
homosexuality or bisexuality—and complete avoidance of
mentioning these people and their positive contributions to
society

Work environments that tacitly require LGBT individuals not to
reveal their sexual orientation via discussion of their relationship
status while heterosexuals can discuss their relationships and
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marital status freely.
WORKPLACE ISSUES
 Heterosexism
Can be implicit or hidden discrimination:
 Removal
of gay-themed materials from public
libraries or bookstores
 Refusal
to recognize families headed by same-sex
partners at businesses or school events
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WORKPLACE ISSUES (CONTINUED)
 Current
closet.
employees are coming out of the
 New
employees won’t go back in the
closet.
 Some
discriminatory attitudes are
hardening.
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A BETTER WORKPLACE
 Where
diversity is recognized and
respected, overall employee morale goes
up
 Commitments
to LGBT equality tend to
reinforce other commitments to equality
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A BETTER WORKPLACE
 Employees
who feel forced to hide their
identities, relationships, or life
experiences are less effective and lack
the cohesion with colleagues they need
to best do their jobs
 LGBT
employees who are out at work
are 20% to 30% more productive than
their closeted counterparts
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BENEFITS OF AN INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE
A Comprehensive Workplace Diversity
Program results in:
Fewer
A
discrimination lawsuits
more productive workplace
Helping us to better serve all our
customers

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NUMBER OF REPORTED HATE CRIMES BASED
ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION
1800
1617
1600
1415
1400
1200
1460
1436
1171
1000
800
600
400
200
0
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Why Education Is Important
AS A WORKFORCE, WE ADAPT

Good employees work best when they know all
the rules

USDA has a non-discrimination policy that
includes lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and
transgender individuals

Zero-tolerance for discrimination of any kind
WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO
INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR?

Be vocal and direct about ending the behavior

Make it clear that USDA is an inclusive and
tolerant work environment
WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO
INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR?

Let the scope of your response be dictated by
the particulars of the behavior—if two
employees have a conflict motivated by
discrimination, then settle it between them
without involving the whole office. If an
employee sends out an offensive email to the
entire office, then your response should be
distributed to the entire office.
WHAT ABOUT RELIGIOUS OBJECTIONS?

Not here to change your belief or challenge
your faith

This is to make sure you are informed about
USDA Human Resources policy
WHAT ABOUT RELIGIOUS OBJECTIONS?
Part of your duty as an employee is to be aware
of and comply with USDA’s policies and
protocols
 We all have different and sometimes competing
values, but we have learned to check our
baggage at the door when we arrive at work
each morning
 Examples?

EMPLOYEES IN TRANSITION
Has happened many times at USDA
 Likely to be an increase in the number of
employees who choose to undergo transition in
the workplace
 Transition process usually includes the
individual living for a year as the new gender
before undergoing surgery
 Leads to a number of questions

QUESTIONS THAT ARISE WHEN A COWORKER
UNDERGOES TRANSITION

What bathroom do they use?

How are we supposed to address them?

How do we respond to co-workers who give them a
hard time?

New Guidelines issued from OPM, and USDA is
now drafting them into a policy letter specific to
our Department.
WHAT CAN I DO TO PROMOTE
DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE?

Be honest: Recognize your own biases,
prejudices and values.

Be a partner: Work on projects with members
of groups different from your own.

Be a role model: Be vocal in opposing
prejudice and help educate others
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FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT
PERRY STEVENS
DIVERSITY PROGRAM SPECIALIST
LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER (LGBT)
SPECIAL EMPHASIS PROGRAM MANAGER (SEPM)
US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
PERRY.STEVENS@DM.USDA.GOV