Career Resources for LGBTQ+ Students
U.S. law provides specific protection against work-related discrimination based on a person’s gender and sexual orientation identities.
Although this federal law is in place, there remain varying legal protections in the U.S. on a state-by-state basis:
- Human Rights Campaign’s State Law Map
- (choose “EMPLOYMENT” from the “SELECT AN ISSUE” menu)
There are organizations that provide support and resources should you believe you are experiencing discrimination, including:
- Lambda Legal
- National Gay and Lesbian Taskforce
- Transgender Law Center
- Transgender Law and Policy Institute
There are myriad factors to consider during the jobs search and engaging in the workplace related to your sexual and gender identities. Please come to Career Education to talk through your particular situation and needs, but here are two articles that give an overview of key factors to consider:
Below are some additional career-related resources, including relevant information on employers, professional organizations, and funding sources.
LGBTQ+ Mentorship Through the Wellesley Hive
The Wellesley Hive is is a virtual space for professional networking and mentorship, exclusively for the Wellesley Community.
On the Hive, many alums and students are happy to engage in LGBTQ+ identity conversations. To find alums who can provide mentorship professionally or personally, visit the Search page and filter your results by Mentor Help Topics > Identity Conversations: LGBTQ+. The alums in your search results have all volunteered to provide support around this topic, so visit their profile to connect with them.
Suit Program
Is your wardrobe lacking the professional attire required to attend a conference, interview, or meeting? The Career Education Suit Program has quality suiting options for all gender identities in a full range of petite and regular sizes. Students can choose from jackets, skirts, dresses, and pants. Learn more about borrowing a suit!
Internships and Scholarships
Scholarships & Resources for Transgender Students
EduMed has compiled a listing of 20 scholarships specifically for transgender students interested in earning a degree in any field, including healthcare. Their website also ooks at academic and career tools, discusses options for social support and networking, and outlines a few financial aid options.
College Scholarships.org
Lists Scholarships for LGBTQ individuals.
Opportunity Type: Scholarship
The Pipeline Project
The Pipeline Project is a recruitment, retention, and leadership advancement initiative. Whether you're a student looking for an internship or first-time job or a professional looking for a mid-career shift, the Pipeline Project can connect you with exciting opportunities in the LGBT Movement.
Opportunity Type: Internship
Point Foundation
Point Foundation empowers promising lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer students to achieve their full academic and leadership potential – despite the obstacles often put before them – to make a significant impact on society. Point Foundation (Point) is the nation’s largest scholarship-granting organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) students of merit.
Opportunity Type: Scholarship, Networking Opportunities
Professional Organizations and Additional Resources
Wellesley College's LGBTQ+ Programs and Services
Wellesley offers many informal mentoring and advising resources for its LGBTQ students and their allies.
GLIFAA
Supports LGBT personnel, their families, and straight allies in US government foreign affairs offices
GLMA
Health Professionals Advancing LGBT Equality (previously known as the Gay & Lesbian Medical Association) is the world's largest and oldest association of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) healthcare professionals.
Opportunity Type: Professional Organization
Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index
Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2018 Corporate Equality Index is the national benchmarking tool on corporate policies and practices pertinent to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer employees.
LinkedIn's LGBT-GLBT Networking Group
LinkedIn's largest LGBT+ Professional Networking Group. This global group is for all gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgenders, queer, intersex and questioning persons, professionals and entrepreneurs, along with our friends, allies, recruiters and diversity professional seeking to connect, network and communicate to advance their professional careers with a special emphasis on entrepreneurial business leadership, LGBT social, business and political issues that affect us as individuals and the larger GLBT community globally.
Opportunity Type: Networking Opportunities, Job Search Tool
OutProfessionals
Networking events for professionals and students
Out for Undergrad Business Conference
Our mission is to help high-achieving LGBTQ undergraduates reach their full potential Each year, we select a diverse class of top-performing LGBTQ students from around the country. We invite them to attend our industry-focused conferences: weekend-long summits where we work with LGBTQ professionals to educate students about job opportunities in highly competitive industries — and inspire them to pursue challenging, ambitious careers.
Opportunity Type: Networking Opportunities
National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professions
A professional society that educates and advocates for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer students and professionals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Opportunity Type: Professional Organization
Point Foundation
National scholarship foundation for LGBTQ students
Pride@Work
Represents LGBT union members and their allies
ProGayJobs
Job search listings featuring employers who are committed to diversity in the workplace
TJobBank
Whether you are a trans man, a trans woman, genderqueer, bigender, pangender, genderfluid, or agender, we believe that you should still be able to work indiscriminately in our society just like everyone else. We don’t just believe, however, we act on our beliefs. We materialize our beliefs by aggregating the LGBT friendly job postings of progressive employers into a one stop shop for our visitors. Searching for employment is a character building experience, but with the right tools you’re bound to find employment sooner or later.
Opportunity Type: Job Search Tool
