Love starts at home
Coming out can be an anxious period for someone LGBT+, but when met with love and acceptance, it can make all the difference. We know that support at home builds self-confidence and a sense of belonging that’s carried out into the world. Not only that, support and acceptance are free ingredients. When there’s so much to say, nothing to say, or you can’t find the words, start with a hug. (And if a hug is not wanted, just say it’s ok.)
Be an ally | Interviews | IKEA takes action | Get the rainbow bag | LGBT+ glossary
7 actions to be an LGBT+ ally
We’ve created a series of actions with the help of Stonewall’s Global Diversity Champions programme. They show how to be an ally. Use these actions to ensure the place you call home is somewhere LGBT+ people feel welcome, included and free to be themselves on International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT) and most importantly, every day.
- Listen and learn
There are lots of terms specific to the LGBT+ community that you may not know. Take some time to learn inclusive language and understand the issues LGBT+ people experience. That way, if someone wants to discuss their identity, orientation, challenges or anything else, you can do so in the right way. - Ask open questions
If you feel a loved one might want to talk about their sexual orientation, gender identity or any other challenge but is finding it hard, try asking a friendly, open-ended question like, ‘How did things go at school/work today?’. It may just open the door to a bigger conversation. -
Call out hurtful language
If you hear someone use a word like ‘gay’ in a derogatory way or in place of another negative word like ‘stupid’, don’t ignore it. Gently remind them it’s not acceptable and suggest they think about how they could re-phrase what they said. -
Respond positively to LGBT+ people in the media
If an LGBT+ person or character appears while you’re watching TV, reading or online with someone at home, use it as an opportunity to remind that person you’re accepting and supportive of the LGBT+ community. -
Be patient
It may seem counter-intuitive but it’s best to wait for your loved one to open up to you. If asked about their sexual orientation or gender identity before they’re ready to discuss it, it may make them less likely to do so. Instead, create a warm, safe environment where everyone can speak freely, then let them find the right moment. - Use the pronouns they ask you to
Calling someone ‘he/she’ based on your own assumptions can make them feel uncomfortable and unwelcome. Using the pronouns ‘they/them’ is therefore very useful when you don’t know a person’s gender identity. And don’t be afraid to ask someone’s pronouns if you think they might feel comfortable sharing them. - Look after yourself, too
Caring for everyone in your home, especially if they’re experiencing negative feelings about themselves or their environment, can be hard. Be sure to have people around you who can support you too.
IKEA takes action for the LGBT+ community
IKEA has been a long-standing advocate in its efforts to make people within the LGBT+ community feel welcomed, respected, and appreciated for who they are. In 1994, an IKEA commercial on TV featured a male couple searching for the right dining room table. Widely believed to be one of the earliest LGBT+ advertisements, the commercial made headlines around the world.
Since IDAHOBIT 2022, when we activated the campaign “Home Pride Home”, we have made progress to close the LGBT+ inclusion gap, inside the company and in broader society, with new commitments and actions throughout the year.
- IKEA CZECHIA/HUNGARY/SLOVAKIA: Advocating for change in society. Czechia: Signed an open letter to the prime minister to support equal marriage, Slovakia: One of the initiators of a letter signed by 66 big companies and addressed to the government to stop hate and polarization against LGBT+ people.
- IKEA UK & IRELAND: Gave proceeds from the sale of the “Rainbow Cake” to external partner Switchboard LGBT+ Helpline, which was established in 1974 and provides support and information to the LGBT+ community.
- IKEA NETHERLANDS: Now offers co-workers who are undergoing gender-affirming care the possibility of taking a maximum of 24 weeks of paid leave to use over a period of 10 years, for medical and non-medical procedures.
- IKEA AUSTRALIA: Introduced paid gender-affirming care leave for co-workers and inclusive parental leave policies including fertility treatment. Made donation to LGBT+ youth charity around IDAHOBIT and published a pronouns guide.
- IKEA ITALY: On May 17, 2023, IKEA Italy announced that it will now provide co-workers going into gender affirmation six weeks of paid gender affirmation leave. Introduction of policy ensuring an increasingly inclusive working environment for transgender people working in the company.
- IKEA GERMANY: We celebrate Pride in various cities with about 500 participants. We provide information to queer parents about same status for parental leave. Signed a positioning paper to the government on: LGBT+ blood donation and Selbstbestimmungs Act.
- IKEA SWITZERLAND: Replaced maternity and paternity leave with parental leave that includes same-sex couples. This followed the active participation in the public debate prior to the national vote on extended paternity leave and marriage for all.
- IKEA US and IKEA CANADA: Have both begun implementation of the Chosen Name Project which enables trans and non-binary co-workers to use their chosen name on the company’s digital platforms.
- IKEA US has expanded benefits to now include reimbursement for travel expenses for medical procedures related to gender affirmation care when the services are not available within a reasonable distance of a co-worker’s home.
- IKEA CANADA: We are celebrating IDAHOBIT and Pride in five major cities in Canada and raising the Progress Flag in all units. We are donating proceeds from STORSTOMMA bags to LGBT+ organizations. We have introduced pronoun name tags.
- IKEA JAPAN: For the first time we raised the Progress Pride flag outside all units in Japan during April – May for Japan’s biggest Pride event and IDAHOBIT.
- IKEA FRANCE: Officially signed the commitment charter of L’Autre Cercle, a French organisation working to enhance LGBT+ inclusion in the workplace. They also established “IKEA Pride France”, a resource group for our French co-workers.
- IKEA SERBIA recently launched, together with other companies in the country, the Equality Business Alliance, a unique alliance of companies aiming to advance LGBT+ equality in the workplace and society.
- IKEA SPAIN: The benefits policy has been without sexual orientation discrimination and since 2022, we have been running annual awareness campaigns with co-workers for PRIDE month, plus donating proceedings form the sale of the STORSTOMMA bag.
There are lots of terms specific to the LGBT+ community. Explore our LGBT+ glossary here.
