CURATED READS FOR GEN Z—AND THEIR Z-CURIOUS COLLEAGUES

Hello, hello—scroll to find out if your coworker who quit is ever coming back, learn how Starz picks its shows, and drop a few billable minutes on our crossword (kidding).

first up

Everything’s coming up rainbows. One in five Gen Z adults in the US now identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community, according to a recent Gallup poll. Our generation has seen amazing strides when it comes to all people living openly and authentically in all parts of their lives.

Some other stats: 

For all the progress, there are still challenges to navigate—like coming out, or being out, in the workplace, especially given that more than one in four LGBTQ+ employees are not broadly out at work.

We asked LGBTQ+ leaders for words of wisdom, and one banking leader told us: “Having had certain amounts of adversity on your own journey, I think that builds in you a fair amount of extra resilience, which then really helps empower your own leadership skills.” I think that’s something we can all look up to. 

And however you identify, we can all play a part in making work more inclusive—whether that’s calling out microaggressions if you see someone get put on the spot or creating safe spaces for transgender colleagues.

Inclusive language matters. If you’re looking to learn, the GLAAD Media Reference Guide offers a handy resource for communicating about gender identity and expression. Check it out. 

visualize it

Math is hard enough without a pandemic in the mix, and not all schools have gotten their kids back on track. Those that have are largely high income and majority White, while the gap that existed prepandemic between them and majority-Black schools has widened.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE

Going, going … gone? The pandemic relaxed some of the stress of quitting a job, and gaps on your resume don’t spell the doom they once did. Millions have voluntarily ditched their jobs, seeking better perks and less stress. Do employers have any hope of getting that talent back? Well—yes.

Love Outlander? Dinna fash (that’s Scottish for “don’t worry”), Starz does too: when the streaming giant realized women were driving its business, it pivoted. And in developing the TV franchise Power and capitalizing on diverse talent behind the camera, too, it found the success that inclusion brings.

NOT US; STILL GREAT

What is ‘bigorexia’? Social media lets you express yourself, but it can often appear a little one size fits all. And those impossible standards are equal opportunity, with reports that teen boys also face crushing pressure to keep up with the muscled demigods who run popular weightlifting accounts. [NYT]

Gen Z digital nomads. Remote work allowed millions of young adults to ditch the 9-to-5 in favor of earning money from anywhere as they travel the country or world. I spent a little time on the road, and yes, it’s pretty great. Check out the data and the drawbacks. [TIME]

Bigger and better. For the first time, The Trevor Project will expand beyond the US to support LGBTQ+ people under 25 in Mexico. The nonprofit now offers 24/7 text and call support in a country where 55 percent of LGBTQ+ people have experienced thoughts of suicide. (Full disclosure: McKinsey has provided pro bono support to The Trevor Project.) [Axios]

The Trevor Project CEO (and former McKinsey consultant) Amit Paley with singer Rita Ora and MTV’s Alex Mugler, Relish Milan, Tati 007, and Lolita Leopard at a 2018 event.

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— Edited by Sarah Skinner, Gen Z curation editor, New York