EMBRACING DIVERSITY: The Evolution of Gay Rights and Inclusion in the Workplace Over the Last 50 Years

Over the past five decades, the landscape of gay rights and the experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals in workplaces have undergone significant transformations.

From a time of secrecy and discrimination to an era of increasing acceptance and inclusion, this article traces the journey of being gay in the professional world over the last 50 years.

“Our analysis indicates that employment discrimination against LGBT people continues to be persistent and widespread. Over 40% of LGBT workers (45.5%) reported experiencing unfair treatment at work, including being fired, not hired, or harassed because of their sexual orientation or gender identity at some point in their lives. This discrimination and harassment is ongoing: nearly one-third (31.1%) of LGBT respondents reported that they experienced discrimination or harassment within the past five years” (*).

But let′s go in order.

In the 1970s and 1980s, being openly gay in the workplace was often synonymous with professional risk. Social attitudes were less accepting, and many LGBTQ+ individuals faced discrimination, harassment, and even job loss due to their sexual orientation.

The fear of backlash forced many to conceal their identities, contributing to a culture of silence and invisibility.

The AIDS epidemic in the 1980s heightened the challenges faced by the gay community.

While it brought attention to LGBTQ+ issues, it also fueled stigmatization and discrimination.

Many LGBTQ+ individuals found themselves at the intersection of health crises and workplace discrimination, leading to a stronger push for equal rights.

The 1990s witnessed the emergence of LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, paving the way for more inclusive workplaces. Some companies began to implement non-discrimination policies, acknowledging the importance of diversity. However, progress was slow, and many individuals still grappled with the fear of backlash.

The early 2000s saw significant legal milestones, such as the decriminalization of homosexuality in various countries and the recognition of same-sex relationships.

These legal victories laid the groundwork for workplace protections, challenging discriminatory practices and fostering a more inclusive work environment.

Over the last two decades, there has been significant progress in LGBTQ+ rights, marked by public support from numerous companies.

Major consumer brands regularly sponsor Pride events, and a record 206 corporations advocated for LGBTQ+ workplace protection in a 2020 Supreme Court decision.

Additionally, companies are increasingly aligning recruitment, employee-resource groups, and marketing decisions with LGBTQ+ rights. And also, an increasing number of countries have legalized same-sex marriage, reflecting a broader societal shift towards acceptance.

Yet, there is still a lot of work to do, and today the most challenging and sensitive areas, in the daily working life are 2:

Comingout & Microaggression

Today, Comingout holds, still,? significance in building professional relationships, as it fosters authenticity and instills confidence, leading to successful collaborations.

The inability to come out can contribute to lower workplace productivity due to stress and debilitation.

However, the complexities of coming out at work are evident:

• Junior employees find it challenging, with only one-third below senior manager level being out with most colleagues.
• Gender disparities exist, with LGBTQ+ women less likely to be out compared to men, influenced by existing gender discrimination.
• Global differences are apparent, as individuals outside Europe and North America find it more challenging to come out at work.
• The recurring need to come out poses a unique challenge, with almost half of LGBTQ+ respondents reporting the need to do so at least once a week.

Other major point nowadays is Microaggressions:

Many LGBTQ+ professionals find themselves contending with a myriad of microaggressions in the workplace, ranging from derogatory remarks about their identity to the need to correct assumptions about their personal lives, as reported by over 60 percent of LGBTQ+ respondents, according to McKinsey(**).

Notably, the burden of dispelling such misconceptions falls disproportionately on LGBTQ+ women below the senior vice president level, with four in five having to address colleagues' assumptions.

Additionally, some individuals within the LGBTQ+ community endure the distressing experience of being misgendered or referenced with pronouns inconsistent with their gender identity.

The McKinsey survey also revealed that LGBTQ+ respondents were markedly more likely than their counterparts to encounter derogatory comments or jokes targeting people like them.

The journey of being gay in workplaces over the last 50 years reflects a remarkable evolution.

From a history of oppression and silence to a present that celebrates diversity, the progress made in recognizing and respecting LGBTQ+ rights serves as a testament to the resilience and advocacy of the community.

As we move forward, it is crucial to continue championing inclusivity and equality, ensuring that every individual can thrive authentically in the professional world, regardless of their sexual orientation (***).

In this article, to understand a little better the bigger picture I asked few questions to Nick Chesterfield . Nick is a British Team Manager based in Berlin with over 30 years of working experience in Big Corporates in different kinds of sectors as Financial Services, Risk Management, Travel, Entertainment and Hospitality.

How has the landscape for LGBTQ+ individuals in workplaces changed over the last four decades, from your perspective as an openly gay Senior Leader?

When I first became a leader coming out at work was not as easy as perhaps it may be today. I feel that being gay as a leader is much more normalised now than it was back in 1990 when I first became a leader, certainly the amount of gay literature, film and TV, or lack of it,? meant that being óut′ was not so much in the public domain. There was still a certain amount of fear from the AIDS crisis of the 1980′s so being gay was not talked of so much.

There was certainly no mention of equal rights as compared to sexism and racism in the workplace.

Certainly no formal positioning or role assigned to ensure diversity was celebrated.?

Can you share specific challenges you faced early in your career due to your sexual orientation, and how did you navigate them??

I think one of the biggest things working within financial services on the strictly financial side (as opposed to customer support) was the preponderance of male managers and their habits in meetings together.

There was often a lot of talk about sport or other subjects which tended to push me out of the conversation, so the feeling of being included was not always there.

This was not a constant but certainly one that occurred.

As a Senior Leader, have you observed a shift in organizational policies and practices to support diversity and inclusion??

There has been an unbelievable shift.

As I said previously there had always been company policies regarding racism and sexism but there was no role to ensure inclusivity, this is a major step forward for any organisation to take.

The fact that policies now exist to deal with ones sexuality is something not even considered before and can allow all people to grow and develop without ever having a fear of being judged.?

Can you reflect on any notable milestones or positive changes you've witnessed regarding LGBTQ+ inclusion in the workplace??

The fact that many companies now become involved in Pride events in a positive way is one such milestone. I can clearly remember when a company I worked for had real presence during Pride marches.

That was a big step. Also notable are policies that allow same sex partnerships to be fully recognised, for example, allowing a day off for a civil partnership or marriage. This didn′t exist before.?

How do you think the experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals in the workforce today compare to those in earlier years, and what challenges persist??

Years ago it was very difficult for many to ′come out′ to their families, work was much the same. It should not be something that needs to happen by any means but many felt they should.

Nowadays I find that someone's sexuality is not even considered, which sounds like a negative but in fact is a positive as now there is very often no need to even think about someone's sexuality as it makes no difference in the workplace.

Certainly, when carrying out such things as interviews we do not even remark upon it. We judge according to experience and nothing more.

Of course there will be examples where this is sadly not the case, but in my personal experience I find that we are now more accepting and are not so questioning. Sexuality, after all, has absolutely no bearing on how well a person can carry out their role. and difference should be celebrated as it makes us strong as people and as organisations.

What advice do you have for LGBTQ+ individuals navigating their careers, especially those who may still be hesitant to be open about their identities at work?

My first thing would be to check the companies policies regarding any for of prejudice and how it is dealt with. I would also look at which companies actively celebrate difference and have persons involved to ensure this is done. I would suggest thinking about your role, your colleagues and the company itself and how necessary is it to be open in this way.?

It begs the question, is there any need for a person to ′come out′ at work? It shouldn′t be but it is often the case that people want to be honest about their personal lives and who, perhaps, they share it with.?

They shouldn′t have any fear that this could be an issue to their career, so my advice is to be as open as you wish to be. If a heterosexual person does not need to state their sexuality, then neither should someone who identifies as LGBTQ+.

I have been fortunate enough to work in organisations that have celebrated ALL of their employees so my advice is simply be the honest and authentic you, it will always be better than trying to live and work something that is not true.?

*

https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/lgbt-workplace-discrimination/

**

https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/lgbtq-plus-voices-learning-from-lived-experiences

*** On how companies and leadership can support DEI I suggest to check out my previous articles here:

https://shorturl.at/bqxT1

https://shorturl.at/drvG4