They looked into the experiences of LGBTQIA women and non-binary people in the workplace
BY KRYSTA MCKENZIE, IMAGE BY UNSPLASH
To coincide with Lesbian Visibility Week, the results of myGwork’s study has now been shared on their platform. Their survey had responses from over 2000 LGBTQIA women and non-binary people across the world, and revealed that 70% of these individuals still struggle with being victim to discrimination at work. The research also looked into whether this community feels that they have allies at work, that their voices are valued and if they believe their workplaces provide appropriate LGBTQIA training for bias prevention.
Linda Riley, the publisher of DIVA, has shared a statement on this study “MyGwork’s survey is an incredibly valuable piece of research because it highlights the reality of being an LGBTQIA woman or non-binary person in the workplace. It shows that while progress has been made, there is still a long way to go before everyone in our community can feel safe to be their authentic selves at work. It is so important to have this kind of study focusing on our specific, and all too often overlooked, experiences.”
Here are a few of the main statistics:
An overwhelming 79% of participants say it’s harder for LGBTQIA women and non-binary people to shatter the glass ceiling than cisgender heterosexual women
This figure is much higher for people with intersecting marginalised identities. For example, queer people of colour face additional discrimination due to their race, making it harder for them than it would be for white LGBTQIA people.
Three-quarters of LGBTQIA women and non-binary professionals fear coming out at work
This could be due to a wide range of reasons, but as many individuals believe that their sexuality and/or gender identity hinder their career progression, this does not come as a surprise. Especially when coupled with the knowledge that coming out can put them at risk of discimination in the workplace.
70% of queer women and non-binary professionals have left a job due to not having an inclusive workplace
Diversity & inclusion has to be a priority across businesses in order to ensure employee wellbeing – regardless of whether anyone in your workplace is out to your team.
Adrien and Pierre Gaubert, co-founders of myGwork stated: “We carried out this research to delve into some of the specific challenges LGBTQ+ women and non-binary professionals face at work. Our findings confirm that lesbians are statistically less likely than their gay male colleagues to be out at work, face much higher rates of discrimination and are not getting the adequate support they need from management and HR to progress, despite corporate efforts to make workplaces more inclusive, which ultimately boils down to lack of LGBTQ+ education and training.”
Michelle “Michi” Raymond, business development director at myGwork also commented, “Lesbian representation matters because it’s not just about visibility. To create a workplace that is truly inclusive and supportive, businesses need to actively listen to and learn from their employees. By embracing diversity and championing inclusivity, we can create a work environment that not only accepts but celebrates all identities.”
Click here to check out the full survey.
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