‘Not being able to be openly LGBTQ+ at work has pushed me further into the closet’

Almost four in 10 LGBTQ+ employees hide who they are at work for ‘fear of discrimination’, new research has found.

The research, released today by LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall, found a third have heard discriminatory comments made about a queer colleague.

More than a quarter suffered negative comments or conduct from customers or clients because they are openly LGBTQ+ on the clock.

If they were the target of discrimination, three in 10 queer workers told Stonewall they would not bother reporting it to their bosses.

While one in 10 say they were fired or dismissed because they are queer, which is against the law in the UK.

The findings, Stonewall’s CEO Simon Blake told Metro, are largely consistent with previous studies over the last two decades.

‘While we’ve seen some general improvements in workplaces, there is still far to go,’ he said.

Among those who go back into the closet every time they clock in for the day is Ashley (not their real name), who works in education with their partner.

‘We have to choose who can really know us, mainly because we do not always feel comfortable around particular sets of parents and people we work with,’ they told Metro.

‘We even see lots of hatred from the younger people we work with.

‘Not being able to be myself at work has pushed me further into the closet, it’s hindered me from forming deeper relationships with colleagues and has worsened my anxiety.

‘It makes me feel like a fraud and I worry about what people may think if I come out. I sometimes want to hop around jobs before people get to know me too well.’

The UK was once the most LGBTQ+-friendly place in Europe, according to an annual Rainbow Map that ranks countries across the continent. Now it is 16th out of 49.

‘I think the UK often stands on a pedestal that isn’t reflective of what it preaches to be,’ said Ashley of Stonewall’s ‘unsurprising’ findings.

‘It feels increasingly less safe here and my question is, where is safe?’

To Blake, experiences like Ashley’s should be a wake-up call to British businesses to better protect queer staff. After all, he said, one in 10 young people identify as LGTBQ+, according to the Annual Population Survey.

It’s better for business, too. LGBTQ+ people who do not feel they can be open about their sexuality or gender identity are less motivated and productive, studies have shown.

‘The data highlights why we need to keep focused and push for inclusive workplaces, and why we are not in a place where it is sensible to reduce our focus on inclusion if we want to increase productivity,’ Blake said.

‘We spend much of our time at work, so an inclusive working environment will help people feel psychologically safe and bring so many benefits to the workplace as a result.’

US President Donald Trump had barely reacquainted himself with the White House when he took aim at what he called ‘radical and wasteful government diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes’.

His administration gutted these schemes, which include those that give benefits like promotions to specific groups, in a blitz of executive orders. The Trump administration also threatened ‘adverse consequences’ if staff failed to report colleagues who had defied orders to wipe DEI efforts from their agencies.

Ahead of Trump’s return, several companies, including Meta and McDonald’s, rolled back their DEI initiatives.

Ashley, who is in their 30s, worries that ‘history is repeating itself’ – and that Trump’s actions are whipping up hate across the pond.

‘Young people are following his example and toxic hatred, especially online, is so damaging,’ they said.

‘I’m seeing it in interactions with younger people especially. But what’s most alarming is that some young people aren’t aware they are being homophobic and aggressive.’

Blake ‘really hopes’ that Britain does not follow Trump’s lead and instead government officials and businesses stand by LGBTQ+ people.

‘We already know that some organisations are being more cautious,’ he said, ‘so we must never be complacent.’

‘Multinational organisations will understandably be working out what the Executive Orders in the US mean for them.

‘In the meantime, we encourage them to remember why inclusion is important and to ensure every one of their employees feels safe, welcome and able to do their best work.’

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