Inclusion on Your Board? The Case for LGBTQ+ Leadership

Is Inclusion just a buzzword on your board?

It’s Pride Month—a time to celebrate the vibrancy, courage, and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community. But while rainbow flags fly high in June, representation in nonprofit boardrooms remains stubbornly low year-round. If you’re serious about equity, it’s time to ask: Who’s missing from your board—and why?

Let’s talk facts. According to Out Leadership, just 0.5% of Fortune 500 board seats are held by openly LGBTQ+ individuals. And in the nonprofit sector, that number doesn’t move much. Many LGBTQ+ leaders report avoiding board service because they don’t feel safe, welcomed, or seen. In a 2020 report from the Center for American Progress and NORC, over half of LGBTQ+ Americans said they’ve hidden relationships or identity markers out of fear of discrimination. That silence is not accidental—it’s a survival strategy in spaces that lack belonging.

Yet LGBTQ+ board members bring more than just diversity—they bring strategic advantage. A Harvard Business Review study found that diverse teams are more innovative and drive higher revenue from new products and services. Diverse boards—when inclusive—are better at identifying blind spots, understanding complex social dynamics, and driving mission-aligned impact.

Why Your Board Needs LGBTQ+ Representation

Here’s the business case, the moral case, and the movement-building case all rolled into one:

• Representation matters. Boards are stewards of public trust. If your mission serves diverse communities, your leadership should reflect that diversity.

• Innovation thrives on difference. LGBTQ+ leaders often bring lived experiences of resilience, systems navigation, and cultural awareness—skills boards need now more than ever.

• You can’t be what you can’t see. Visibility matters. When LGBTQ+ folks see peers on boards, it normalizes inclusion and creates pathways for future leadership.

• Belonging boosts retention. Boards that intentionally build inclusive culture (think: pronouns in bios, inclusive meeting norms, and bias training) are more likely to retain all their members—not just the LGBTQ+ ones.

  
  

How to Make Your Board More LGBTQ+ Inclusive

It’s not enough to say “all are welcome.” You have to show it. Here’s how:

• Recruit intentionally. Platforms like Queer Board Match and OutQUORUM are changing the game by connecting LGBTQ+ professionals with board opportunities and offering training for readiness.

• Audit your culture. Do your board materials reflect inclusive language? Are your meetings safe spaces to speak truth to power? Does your board practice active allyship?

• Celebrate visibility. Show up during Pride Month and every other month. Normalize pronoun use, spotlight LGBTQ+ stories in newsletters, and amplify queer voices in decision-making.

• Invest in pipelines. Partner with LGBTQ+ leadership programs to identify, train, and support rising changemakers who are ready to lead.

  
  

The Board Pro Bottom Line

At The Board Pro, we believe that every nonprofit board has the power to reflect the world we want to build. Including LGBTQ+ voices isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s the smart thing to do. Queer leaders are talented, visionary, and ready. They’re not waiting for an invitation to the board table. They’re waiting for a culture that says, “We’re ready for you. And we’re better because of you.”

Let’s build that culture—together. 🌈

Ready to build a truly inclusive board culture?

Visit www.theboardpro.com and let’s talk about transforming your board’s composition—and its culture—for the better.