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IN THE WORKPLACE
As a woman business owner and proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, 1 do not feel safe living and working in Indiana. There are many LGBTQ+ people who feel the very same, and it's important for the business community to understand why.
For years, I have been the recipient of far more "Hoosier hostility" than "Hoosier hospitality" in the form of attacks on my reproductive health care rights, physical threats, digital hate mail on all social media platforms, harassing prank calls, belittling emails and damage to my personal property for being an outspoken activist for women and the LGBTQ+ community.
What has hurt the most was the deafening silence from many business owners and leaders when anti-LGBTQ+ legislation was introduced and then enacted into various laws during the legislative session this year. This silence has had terrible consequences. And it is indicative of a broad complicity in the business community to legislators' creation of a hostile climate in Indiana.
The business community has to stop pretending that "Hoosier hostility" doesn't exist and needs to recognize the profound impact on Black, brown, LGBTQ+ people and women. If Indiana businesses continue to ignore the needs and civil rights of these groups, there will be significant micro and macro level...