4 Incredible Organizations That Support LGBTQ+ Tech Workers

Diversity within the workforce remains an ongoing challenge within the tech industry, specifically as it relates to the LGBTQ+ community. Only 35 percent of LGBTQ+ tech workers reported feeling “represented in upper management at their company,” according to a recent report from Blind. Other reports have cited bullying as a primary contributor for LGBTQ+ people leaving their tech employer. 

But workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion have taken on renewed importance nationally over the last year. While there’s still much progress to be made, there are some incredible organizations working to support and empower LGBTQ+ tech workers. In celebration of Pride month, here’s a look at four groups that have been working to create change for years.

4 Organizations Supporting and Empowering LGBTQ+ Tech Workers

• TransTech Social Enterprises. Founded in 2014 by Angelica Ross, an actress, transgender rights advocate, and self-taught computer coder, TransTech Social Enterprises is a co-learning and co-working community that provides tech education, support, and jobs for trans and non-binary people facing high levels of employment discrimination. For context, one in four trans people reported losing a job due to bias, according to the National Transgender Discrimination Survey. Organizations like TransTech help trans and non-binary tech workers find their communities, enhance their skills, and find long-term employment opportunities. 
• Lesbians Who Tech. Lesbians Who Tech & Allies is “a community of LGBTQ women, non-binary and trans individuals in and around tech (and the people who support them).” The organization’s goals are to help members become more visible to each other and others, get more women, POC, queer, trans, and gender non-conforming (GNC) people into tech, and connect their community to fellow organizations and companies doing similar work. The group also invests in the next generation of LGBTQ+ tech workers through their Edie Windsor Coding Scholarship, which provides funds to LGBTQ+ women and non-binary tech workers to help jumpstart their tech careers. 
• Out in Tech. As one of the world’s largest non-profit communities of LGBTQ+ tech workers and leaders, Out in Tech’s mission is to create more opportunities for its 40,000+ members to advance their careers in tech, grow their networks, and leverage tech for social change. What sets them apart from other organizations is their investment in mentoring young LGBTQ+ individuals who aspire to work in tech through the Out in Tech U Mentorship Program. The Program pairs LGBTQ+ youth aged 17-24 with tech professional members who provide both technical and professional skills to help mentees start a successful career. 
• Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (oSTEM). oSTEM is a non-profit professional association for LGBTQ+ people in the STEM community to help empower them to succeed personally and professionally. The group has over 100 student chapters at colleges and universities across the U.S. and internationally, along with professional chapters in various cities. The chapter-based organization emerged from a 2005 focus group sponsored by IBM as a part of the Out for Work conference where students met to discuss how to form an organization that serves students in the LGBTQ+ STEM community. Prior to oSTEM, there was no inclusive organization dedicated to serving LGBTQ+ youth in STEM.

These are just four of the many incredible non-profits and organizations working to support and empower LGBTQ+ tech workers. As a tech staffing agency, we’re proud to highlight their efforts and continue to encourage the tech industry at large to prioritize diversification and inclusion efforts through employment opportunities. 

If you’re a tech worker in our network and identify as LGBTQ+ or want to show your support as an ally, consider volunteering with or joining one of these organizations to support the future LGBTQ+ tech workforce.