At Nixon Gwilt Law (NGL), we know that diversity is essential to innovation. We are committed to internal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and are continuously working to create a diverse workplace, ensure equitable treatment of our employees and our clients, and develop a strong and collaborative team environment. We strive to make our firm a place where everyone feels safe, respected, and supported, so we all have the opportunity to thrive.

As part of our DEI efforts and in recognition of June as Pride Month, a few of our team members came together to show our support for the 2SLGBTQIA+ (Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, and other affirmative ways in which people choose to self-identify) community.*

For NGL, Pride is more than just one month - it is an ongoing commitment to helping our employees, their families, our clients, and members of the community at large feel safe in who they are. Here is how we incorporate Pride into our values and practices year-round:

*Note: In this statement, we use “2SLGBTQIA+” and “LGBTQ” interchangeably because the first is more inclusive and the second is more well-known and readily understood at present.

We support the Federal Equality Act

There is still a lot of work to do to ensure equality for all members of the LGBTQ community in the U.S., and we believe the Equality Act (H.R. 5) is an important step in the right direction. Unfortunately, our current federal civil rights laws do not include sexual orientation or gender identity as a protected class, leaving LGBTQ individuals without adequate legal protection against discriminatory treatment. If passed, the Equality Act would update the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to explicitly protect people against discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

Without adequate federal legislation, one’s protection from employment, housing, or other discrimination is entirely based on which state they live in, which is blatantly unfair. As our friends at the Campaign for Southern Equality say, your zip code should not determine your rights.

NGL Counsel Ashleigh Giovannini lives in Arkansas and has witnessed the downfalls of our current landscape first-hand. Here is what she has to say:

In April of 2021, Arkansas became the first state in the U.S. to ban gender-affirming treatment for minors. The law, known as the Save Adolescents From Experimentation (SAFE) Act, bans gender-affirming surgery for people under 18 and prohibits healthcare providers from providing puberty blockers and hormone therapy to transgender youth. The governor originally vetoed the bill over concerns that the bill was “vast government overreach.” However, many Arkansas legislators voted to override the veto, arguing that the bill is an effort to protect young people, much like requiring car seats for newborns. The SAFE Act is a prime example of state legislation that puts LGBTQ individuals – particularly youth -- at risk. The Equality Act would remove states’ ability to enact such laws.

Interested in supporting the Equality Act? Tell your congressional representatives (if you don’t know who they are, find them here and here) to pass the Equality Act now!

We support healthcare innovators making a difference

One major challenge for LGBTQ people is receiving equitable access to healthcare. This is particularly true for transgendered individuals who often face hostility when seeking medical services. NGL supports equitable treatment of ALL patients and cultural competency training for all providers. As advocates for and partners of healthcare innovators, we also recognize the vital role telehealth and digital health can play in moving the needle on improving the lives of members of the LGBTQ community. We commend those companies already doing so, such as:

• Folx Health – is a digital-only health platform designed specifically for the Queer Community (currently in 31 states).

• Plume – provides online access to HRT for the trans-community via telemedicine.

• Included Health - is a comprehensive health platform partnering with employers to connect LGBTQ+ members to culturally competent, quality providers who understand the unique needs of the community.

• Violet – is a tool to find and book queer-competent mental health providers.

• Luvie – connects LGBTQ individuals to a qualified community of support, knowledge, and resources so that they can thrive in their health, body, and sexuality.

• Queerly – is a health tech startup bridging the gap between the LGBTQ community and safe, comprehensive, and culturally competent healthcare providers.

• QSPACES - helps users find a LGBTQ friendly doctor or therapist

• Lighthouse - helps LGBTQ individuals find healthcare professionals right for them.

• MyTransHealth - helps trans people get access to quality healthcare.

• Woven Bodies - is an inclusive digital practice supporting LGBTQ folks and allies from family planning through parenthood.

• Helsa Helps - helps LGBTQ people learn about their mental wellbeing and uses proprietary matching technology to connect LGBTQ people to the therapists that are most qualified to support them.

• Trans in the South - is an online directory of more than 400 Southern health service providers who are trans-affirming.

• Queermed – provides virtual hormone therapy and gender-affirming care to patients of all ages.

*None of the above entities are current NGL clients

We support using gender-inclusive language

A critical way healthcare innovators and professionals can show support for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community is to use gender-inclusive language with colleagues, employees, patients, clients, and prospective clients. We have taken the steps below to ensure our verbal and written interactions are respectful and gender-inclusive, and we counsel clients to do the same.

In person

By recognizing and using names-in-use and correct pronouns, you communicate respect and validation for people who are quite possibly misnamed and misgendered daily. Skip the honorifics (e.g., Ms. or Mr.) and incorporate more gender-inclusive language in your interactions. If you are not sure how to address someone, ask them their name and use that name to refer to them. See below for more details.

In print/digital platforms

Examine your intake/registration forms and take a hard look at your website and other public-facing materials. Consider making the following changes:

• Provide an option for people to add their name (in addition to their legal name which may be needed for behind-the-scenes administrative matters), and then use the name they provide when referring to them. Legal names are often needed for insurance reimbursement purposes, but many transgender people experience a period of time in which their legal name no longer fits their identity, and they choose a name that is a better fit. Some may change their legal name, but this process can take time.

• Provide room for people to include the pronouns they use, and then use those pronouns when referring to them. Provide an option for people to type in their own pronouns in case you don’t include theirs on your form.

• Do not require honorifics, or if you must, provide gender-neutral options and an option for people to add their own. Mx., pronounced “mix”, is widely used as a gender-neutral honorific.

• If you are requesting a person’s sex or gender, first think about why you are collecting that data. If you don’t actually need this information, don’t ask for it. If you do need it, be specific about what and why you are asking:

  • If you need to know about the person’s physiological makeup for medical reasons, ask for biological sex and provide an option beyond Male/Female for the person to add explanation in their own words.

  • If you need to know a person’s gender, include options across the gender spectrum and provide an option for the person to describe their gender in their own words. Ruth Ng published an excellent article, How to Ask About Gender in Forms Respectfully, that provides explanations and samples of good-better-best gender surveys.

• Use gender-inclusive language:

  • Instead of “mother” and “father”, use “family”, “parents”, or “guardians”

  • Instead of “him or her” or “s/he”, use “they”

  • Instead of “boys and girls”, use “children” or “young people”

  • Instead of “ladies and gentlemen”, use “distinguished guests”

Find other great resources for inclusive forms in this brief from the University of British Columbia Equity & Inclusion Office.

We support organizations working to improve LGBTQ lives

We support organizations that are already doing the work to advance equality and equity for the LGBTQ community. Our team has shared some of the organizations they support below, and we encourage you to do the same.

The Trevor Project: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/

Campaign for Southern Equality: https://southernequality.org/

GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network): https://www.glsen.org/

Snap4Freedom: https://www.snap4freedom.org/

Transgender Law Center: https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

Somos Familia Valle: https://www.somosfamiliavalle.org/

Immigration Equality: https://immigrationequality.org/

SAGE: https://www.sageusa.org/

Silvia Rivera Law Project: https://srlp.org/

LGBT Bar Association: https://lgbtbar.org/programs/law-students/resources/

ABA Diversity and Inclusion Center: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/diversity/

National Center for Transgender Equality: https://transequality.org/

National LGBTQ Task Force: https://www.thetaskforce.org/

Human Rights Campaign: https://www.hrc.org

Lawyers and law firms can make a difference, too

NGL believes in the importance of creating a safe environment for LGBTQ attorneys to thrive. We believe the legal industry and law firms can do better to implement equitable values, policies, and practices to treat all attorneys with respect regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. NGL aims to set an example for other law firms of how to do just that.

We are confident that our ongoing and evolving DEI efforts will help to eliminate barriers and provide opportunities for our team. We are soliciting feedback from our current employees and continuously updating our hiring practices to ensure that we curate a diverse team of members that share our values. It is our goal to develop a strong and collaborative team environment where everyone feels understood, secure and respected.

We are committed to sharing our DEI journey to hold ourselves accountable. We also hope to inspire other law firms, and those in the legal profession, to become better advocates for themselves and others. If you are interested in learning more about our firm, please do not hesitate to reach out (operations@nixongwiltlaw.com).

Special thanks to all members of the NGL team that contributed to this statement: Kaitlyn O’Connor, Sasha Bentley, Marisa Cieloha, Noori Ali, Katie Watson, and Ashleigh Giovannini.