Last year, in our diversity and inclusion issue, I addressed the women in the room—or rather, the lack of women in the boardroom. And while this is an important issue—after all, the glass ceiling is still firmly installed in many business environments—questions around diversity and inclusion are, of course, not limited to gender issues.

I’m thinking about the LGBT community. Here in Ontario, a 2010 survey by the Trans PULSE Project showed that, out of just over 400 transgender respondents, 18 percent said they’d been turned down for a job because of being trans, and 13 percent said they’d been fired.

Not encouraging statistics, but society is taking positive steps. Think Caitlyn Jenner or the TV comedy-drama Transparent, for example. And don’t forget our own Bill C-16 (currently in its second reading), which will amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add gender identity and gender expression to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.

In the business world, OUTstanding (an LGBT professional network) and the Financial Times produce a list of the top 100 LGBT executives each year. At the top of the list for 2016 was Gigi Chao, executive vice-chairman of Cheuk Nang Holdings Ltd. Vocal in her fight for LGBT rights, Chao rejected her father’s attempt to find her a husband; her father had offered $65 million to any man who would marry her. Martine Rothblatt, founder of Sirius XM satellite radio and now chief executive of United Therapeutics Corp., was No. 4. Rothblatt is transgender.

While some execs have broken the LGBT ceiling, it hasn’t been smooth sailing for all emerging business leaders. According to the U.S.-based LGBT advocacy group Reaching Out MBA (ROMBA), 50 percent to 80 percent of LGBT individuals in business school return to the closet when they begin working. Either they’re not comfortable or they’re worried their careers will be sidelined, particularly if they’re targeting the C-suite.

As depressing as that is, there is hope through mentoring and leader development. In 2015, the Rotman School of Business became the first Canadian school to formally partner with ROMBA. As part of its commitment, Rotman created two new fellowships for Rotman students (each individual receives a minimum $10,000 scholarship per academic year, or a total scholarship of $20,000), as well as access to exclusive mentorship and leadership development programming through Reaching Out.

It’s a good start.