Cablefax The Magazine October 2022 - 33

Beth Hester
VP, External Affairs
Comcast Cable
Ian Hlawati
SVP, Legal Employment
Altice USA
Hester assists in crafting Comcast's
policies and communications tied to
LGBTQ+ issues, but she also dedicates
time to ensuring the community
is supported internally. She's a National
Co-Champion for Comcast's OUT
ERG and pushed Comcast's HR division
to adopt a Transitioning Handbook
offering managers tools needed
to support team members as they
move through that process. Actions
like that illustrate that companies are
willing to adapt their benefits to ensure
their employees have access to
needed resources during milestone
life events. " The benefits needed
are not static, but rather evolve as
our jobs, families and communities
evolve, " she says. " So, I don't think of it
as a laundry list of benefits that I wish
for, but rather employers who are curious,
open minded, empathetic and
action prone. "
What is the state of LGBTQ+ representation
in media? The last 15 years
have been a revolution. Many speak of
it as before and after Ellen-as night
and day. LGBTQ roles became less
characterized and more relatable.
And you know what happened over
time-both straight and queer audience
showed up to hear those stories.
CablefaxDiversity.com
Altice USA needed individuals to lead
its COVID response plan, and Hlawati
more than stepped up. He took
point on areas like employee vaccine
and testing protocols and return to
work policies, helping HR develop
best practices. He continues to be a
leader in employment law, using his
personal experiences and professional
expertise to champion policies for
LGBTQ+ employees. Today's media
landscape is one Hlawati dreamed of
after growing up craving more moments
like then-presidential candidate
Bill Clinton acknowledging gay
and lesbian servicemembers. " Now, I
watch with sheer thrill knowing that
young LGBTQ+ community members
see and digest more balanced and
thoughtful representation every day, "
he says. " Each television show, movie
or even commercial feels like a banner
moment when you grew up feeling
invisible in any mainstream media
source. "
How does your company encourage
employees to bring their true selves
to work? I think our employment policies,
benefits, D&I initiatives, executive
representation, and our ranking
as a best place to work, is the platform-the
signal, if you will-that you
should bring your true self, and your
best self to our office.
October 2022
Steven Jaworski
VP, Production
A+E Studios
Jaworski has led DEI conversation
around Pride at A&E Networks, helping
create its first ERG, Pride @ A+E
Networks. Since then, he's helped plan
the company's first Pride Prom, guided
A&E's first-ever Pride parade presence
in New York and partnered with
Black @ A+E to lead an event entitled
" I am Black, Trans & Proud. " Jaworski
is pushing programmers and creatives
across the industry to make an impact
by mixing their art with their allyship,
working with writers to integrate more
LGBTQ+ representation. " It's important
to note, the community goes beyond
gay white men and storylines
and characters should highlight the
incredibly diverse intersectionality that
makes up our community, " he says. " If
content seems questionable, it should
be run by your ERG (Employee Resource
Group) to flag any inappropriate
or triggering content. "
Favorite media milestone in LGBTQ+
history? Alanis Morissette's performance
of " Ironic " at the 2004 GLAAD
media awards. Alanis amended the
lyrics in support of gay marriage. " It's
like meeting the man of my dreams
and then meeting his beautiful husband. "
Since then, she always performs
the song this way, it even appears
on the Jagged Little Pill acoustic
album released in 2005.
33
PRIDE
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Cablefax The Magazine October 2022

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