Since the very beginning, we’ve made it a priority to make Google a place where LGBTQ+ communities feels welcome and respected. Here are a few of the ways we’ve shown up for LGBTQ+ Googlers over the years:

• In 2003, our very first employee resource group, the Gayglers (later renamed PRIDE at Google), was created by LGBTQ+ Googlers.

• In 2005, Googlers marched together in San Francisco’s Pride parade for the first time. Growing numbers of Googlers have continued to do so in Pride celebrations around the world every year since.

• In 2009, Googlers marched in cities around the U.S. to honor the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots

• Having earlier spoken out in support of same-sex marriage, in 2010, we extended health insurance and family or medical leave benefits to same-sex partners for Googlers in the U.S. Today, we offer health coverage for all Googlers and their spouses or partners of any gender, nearly everywhere in the world.

• In 2011, we pioneered transgender-inclusive healthcare benefits to cover transitioning procedures and treatment.

• In 2019, for the first time, our Diversity Report included data on the representation of employees who have chosen to self-identify as LGBTQ+, as well as nonbinary genders.

For LGBTQ+ communities, spaces to belong make a big impact – they’re places of validation, safety, community, and joy. We’re working to celebrate and protect these spaces through our tools.

• Businesses can identify themselves as spaces of belonging by using the business attributes, LGBTQ-friendly, Trangender safespace, and gender-neutral restrooms. These attributes help people find and support these businesses, which are so vital to LGBTQ+ communities.

• We’ve added LGBTQ+ points of interest on Google Maps, to help everyone honor important cultural landmarks and murals like the Black Trans Lives Matter Mural in San Francisco or the Gay Liberation Monument in New York.

Celebrating the success of LGBTQ+ small businesses is an important way to build belonging and inspire others. That’s why we’re working to elevate the stories of thriving LGBTQ+ small businesses, and provide support and resources to help them and others continue to grow and nourish their communities.

• In honor of Transgender Awareness Week in 2020, we told the story of gc2b, a business owned by Marli Washington (he/him). Marli’s story is an example of the positive ripple effect that LGBTQ+ businesses have on LGBTQ+ communities and businesses.

• In 2021, we built an interactive experience to celebrate inclusive spaces that foster belonging and support for LGBTQ+ communities around the world, like the the Magic City Acceptance Center in Alabama and the GALA Queer Archive in Johannesburg.

• We launched a resource hub to help business owners create more inclusive businesses and to connect LGBTQ+ businesses with mentorship and networking opportunities. The hub also includes guidance on how to add helpful attributes to a business profile, including LGBTQ+ friendly, Transgender safespace, and Gender-neutral restroom.