For over 35 years, the Connecticut Gay Men’s Chorus is proud to have been a standard bearer for a powerful mix of performance, community activism, empowerment and inclusiveness, establishing it as an icon among Connecticut’s LGBTQ organizations.

THE CTGMC IDEA POLICY:

The Connecticut Gay Men’s Chorus (CTGMC) is committed to fostering, cultivating and preserving a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Our members are the most valuable asset we have. The variety of individual differences that our members bring to the CTGMC represents a significant part of our culture, reputation, and the organization’s success.

We embrace and encourage our members’ differences in age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, immigration status, citizenship and other characteristics that make our members unique.

The CTGMC’s diversity initiatives are applicable—but not limited—to our practices and policies on recruitment and selection; performances; volunteer opportunities; trainings; social gatherings; and the ongoing development of a choral environment built on the premise of gender and diversity/equity that encourages and enforces:

Respectful communication and cooperation between all members.

Teamwork and membership participation, permitting the representation of all member perspectives.

Organization and member contributions to the communities we serve to promote a greater understanding and respect for diversity. 

All members of the CTGMC have a responsibility to treat others with dignity and respect at all times. All members are expected to exhibit conduct that reflects inclusion during rehearsals, performances, public appearances, and social gatherings. All board members are required to attend and complete annual diversity awareness training to enhance their knowledge to fulfill this responsibility. All members are highly encouraged to attend as well.

Any member deemed to have engaged in inappropriate conduct or behavior with respect to any other chorus member may be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, as determined by the Board in its sole discretion. Members who believe they have been subjected to any kind of discrimination that conflicts with the organization’s diversity policy and initiatives should seek assistance from a current board member or our Artistic/Executive Directors.