“OfficeMax Celebrates Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Pride Month: Embracing Inclusion” reads the rainbow poster displayed in the break room of the OfficeMax store on Penland Parkway in Anchorage.

“My company OfficeMax made this June LGBT Pride Month!” enthused Chris Oeser on the Anchorage PrideFest‘s Facebook wall. “I am so proud to work there! What a good company!”

Chris, who is running for Mr. Gay Anchorage, asked his employer for this show of support.

“I called the corporate office and put in a suggestion on how to be more diverse and more work friendly for the month of June. Our work is all about cultural diversity and working inclusive with each other, and they pride themselves on doing that. I am so proud to work for a company who promotes LGBT Pride and has a clear view on how different we really are but at the same time appreciates us.”

On June 1, President Obama proclaimed June 2009 as LGBT Pride Month and declared his support for “achieving equal justice under law for LGBT Americans.” Many cities and states also proclaim Pride Month or Pride Day, including Anchorage.

OfficeMax is one of many corporations that supports diversity at the national level and has branches in Alaska. Employers in Alaska like BP, Wells Fargo, UPS, Alaska Airlines, AT&T and J.C. Penney scored 100% on HRC’s Corporate Equality Index. But do these companies openly support diversity in the local stores?

You tell me – Do you work for a local branch of a company that supports diversity at the national level? Do they also support diversity at the local level? Do they celebrate June as LGBT Pride Month?

If not, take a cue from Chris and suggest that your employer celebrate Pride Month here in Alaska. 

If they agree, or already recognize Pride, please send the company name to Bent Alaska. I’ll post a list of local stores and branches that celebrate LGBT Pride. The first national company on the new “Pride at Work in Alaska” list is OfficeMax. Congratulations!

Who is next? Show pride in those diversity policies, and show the people of this city and state what many corporations already know – that support for diversity is good business!