Jessica Pitcher doesn’t have to worry about some of the issues that her daughter deals with daily.
Pitcher, an account executive with Light & Wonder, has a daughter who is gay.
“It she going to be able to be in a safe space?” Pitcher said Tuesday during the webinar Beyond the Rainbow: From Symbol to Substance, hosted by LGBTQ+ in Gaming and the American Gaming Association.
As an ally and supporter, Pitcher’s concerns are those of any parent with her daughter’s sexual orientation.
“Misgendering is obviously a very common one that’s come up a lot more recently,” Pitcher said. “Harassment and, at a minimum, a lack of representation, because that’s important as well. And then also balancing that representation with utilization of stereotypes, which gets a little bit murky when we look at some variants of games and things that are out there right now – just being really thoughtful about the whole picture.”
LGBTQ+ in Gaming board members conducted the webinar, which focused on “how organizations can maintain workplaces where inclusion drives meaningful, lasting impact.”
Grey Rock Casino Slot Manager Mark Parent said the rainbow flag is more than just a symbol to the community.
“It signals safety, recognition, and belonging,” Parent said. “When someone sees that symbol, it can communicate you’re welcome here, you can be yourself here. Visibility is often the first sign that a space can be inclusive, whether it’s a rainbow logo, a Pride event, or visible support from leadership, these signals can help LGBTQ+ employees, customers, players, gamblers, and community members feel seen. They also help people identify allies and supportive workplaces where they may feel comfortable bringing their authentic selves to work or engaging with a brand. Importantly, visibility contributes to psychological safety.”
The LGBTQ+ community, however, needs allies to feel truly safe. Bally’s Senior Manager of Corporate Compliance Spencer Uguccioni noted that supporters can “help uplift the community.”
“We can’t do it alone, so it’s fantastic when we have those allies helping us along the way,” Uguccioni said. “It really creates a tight-knit culture of inclusion that fosters safety within the community.”
“It really makes employees feel safe in their own skin, because everybody deserves to feel welcomed, safe, like they are not going to be put in danger,” Uguccioni added. “And with that, having zero tolerance for any sort of discrimination or micro aggressions is so key.”
Matthew Heenan, IGT Customer Success Manager, said there have been notable advances in LGBTQ+ representation in games. But that representation, among players and gaming employees, means nothing if there are other factors making them feel uncomfortable.
“A LGBTQ+ player can see themselves represented in a game and still have a negative experience if they’re subjected to harassment or targeted by other players, or even ignored when they report abuse,” Heenan said. “That’s why moderation policies really matter. Community guidelines should clearly prohibit harassment based on sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression. These policies must be consistently enforced. Players need confidence that reporting tools work and that action is taken when these violations occur.”
