It’s 2019. And despite civil rights being directly under assault from the religious right and the Trump administration, there’s been strong improvement (and disappointing backsliding, like Trump’s direct assault on transgender people) in many areas for LGBTQ people in America.
Being LGBTQ can still be dangerous, especially for transgender people who face violence and even murder at a horrific rate. Even in large cities same-sex couples can still face harassment just for holding hands.
Now there are numbers to gauge what it’s like to be LGBTQ at work.
And the numbers are disturbing and disappointing.
Nearly half (47%) of LGBTQ employees say they fear being out at work would hurt their careers, or even cost them their jobs.
More than half (53%) say they have experienced or witnessed anti-LGBTQ discrimination.
More than four in 10 (43%) say they are not fully out at work.
And that means there are likely a lot more LGBTQ people at most workplaces than you may know.
All this comes from a new survey by the Harris poll, commissioned by Glassdoor, a job-searching website that allows employees to rate and review workplaces.
“Still today, 26 states do not protect LGBTQ employees at work and many of these employees believe coming out could hurt their career. This is a wake-up call to employers and lawmakers,” Jesus Suarez, Glassdoor’s LGBTQ and Ally Employee Group Leader, says. “Many employers have an opportunity to build or strengthen the foundation for an inclusive culture that encourages employees to bring their full selves to work.”
Glassdoor says the poll surveyed 6104 people, 515 of whom are employees and identify as LGBTQ.
Image via Wikimedia