Covert allyship: Implementing LGBT policies in an adversarial context

Abstract

This study introduces the concept of covert allyship as a strategy for tacitly supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) inclusion in adversarial contexts. Drawing on a qualitative case study of 12 Western multinational enterprises (MNEs) operating in Indonesia, the largest Muslim country in the world, the article sheds light on how allyship for LGBT issues is undertaken covertly as allies seek to transcend tensions arising between headquarters publicly advocating for LGBT rights and their subsidiaries. The findings evaluate both barriers to MNE subsidiaries implementing LGBT-supportive policies and facilitating mechanisms for covert forms of institutional allyship. Finally, the article provides recommendations for how MNEs can adopt practices that build subtle yet effective LGBT-supportive approaches in contexts that require sensitivity to local cultures and legislation.