Empowering 2SLGBTQIA+ Workers in Energy: From the Office to the Field
Empowering 2SLGBTQIA+ Workers in Energy: From the Office to the Field
March 17 @ 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Tuesday, March 17 from 1 PM to 2:30 PM ET – Ce webinaire aura lieu en français le 14 avril.
Canada’s energy sector is evolving, but for 2SLGBTQIA+ workers, jobsites remain high-risk environments where harassment, hypermasculinity, and isolation are still seen as just part of the job. Based on the recent report “Empowering 2SLGBTQIA+ Workers in Energy,” published by Pride at Work Canada, this webinar offers concrete actions employers, unions, and community partners can take.
Over 90 minutes, we’ll begin with a brief presentation of key findings from the national qualitative study involving 2SLGBTQIA+ workers, business and people leaders, and community organizers. We’ll then move to a facilitated panel featuring experts, industry leaders, and community organizations, demonstrating how these findings can be put into practice, followed by an open Q&A.
Together, we’ll examine how homophobia and transphobia manifest on job sites, how office-focused DEI efforts often fail to reach field-based workers, and what is needed to rewire systems so that psychological and physical safety are seen as inseparable. We’ll also showcase promising practices: simple communication strategies, inclusive infrastructure, accountability mechanisms, and the roles of ERGs, mentorship, and leadership in fostering lasting change.
Format
90-minute webinar:
- 15 min – presentation of key research findings
- 45 min – panel discussion (3 speakers)
- 30 min – audience Q&A / group discussion
Key learning outcomes
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Recognize common ways homophobia and transphobia appear in energy workplaces, and how these behaviours impact inclusion, safety, and retention.
- Identify gaps between office-centric DEI initiatives and field-based work, and understand why closing these gaps is essential to genuine workplace inclusion.
- Apply the guide’s recommendations for practical actions to advance 2SLGBTQIA+ safety and inclusion.
Panelists
Panelists to come
Facilitator
Ting-Fai Yu (he/him)
Project Coordinator, Energy
Ting-Fai Yu is an anthropologist-turned-organizational consultant with extensive experience in academic and applied settings. As a scholar of transnational queer Chinese cultures, his research has appeared in field-shaping journals like the Journal of Homosexuality, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, and Journal of Intercultural Studies, as well as in landmark volumes such as the Elgar Encyclopedia of Queer Studies and Oxford Handbook of Language and Prejudice. He received his PhD in gender studies from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and has held faculty and research positions at Monash University, Leiden University, and the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study. As a DEI professional, Ting-Fai previously worked for Logitech as the first DEI Lead to oversee the Asia Pacific region and lead global Pride initiatives. He has been a faculty member of The Conference Board’s DEI Masterclass Certificate Program, training business and people leaders on workplace psychological safety and intercultural competence. His work in queer and organizational inclusion has been featured in global media outlets and leading industry publications, including BBC News, the HR Excellence Magazine, and HRM Asia.
Accessibility
- Spoken language: English – Ce webinaire aura lieu en français le 14 avril.
- Automatic translation: English to French
- Closed captioning provided: English and French
- Format: Virtual (Zoom in webinar mode)
- Engagement type: participants invited to engage via chat (no audio or video)
Please register below additional accessibility requests. Any questions may be sent to events@prideatwork.ca