Do I, or don't I? The dilemma of free emotional labor

As an LGBTQ+ speaker, trainer, and solopreneur, I constantly ask myself the same question: Should I take on the free emotional labor or let it go?

I wrestle with a constant question: offer free emotional labor to help educate or save my energy? The invitations always come, though my RSVP varies.

When discussing this, it’s usually in the context of interacting with a healthcare provider or the local café barista. As a patient, client, or customer, my “educator” hat is off. When I do decide to offer …