Celebrating Pride I: LGBTQIA+ identity and workplace discrimination
Disclaimer: In our diversity efforts so far, we’ve taken a broad approach to educating about marginalized groups, with an emphasis on racism, which we view as a major issue (specifically in the US). We have not previously addressed history, heritage, and pride months (i.e. Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Disability Employment Awareness Month, etc.). As an active member in the LGBTQIA+ community I have the most knowledge and ability to speak on this topic, so we’re starting here. Going forward, Versett and I want to do better in celebrating other history, heritage, and pride months in the same way.
I’ve had hesitations about covering pride for reasons we’ll discuss in this series. One hesitation is that corporate presence during pride can lead to a misrepresentation of how LGBTQIA+ representative and inclusive a workplace actually is, especially in the tech industry. If you’d like to see our most recent numbers in detail, check out our 2017 Diversity & Inclusivity Report.
I am a white, cis, queer woman. I only represent one queer voice and lived experience. I don’t pretend to speak to the experiences of other queer individuals but instead hope to share academic and community knowledge and start a conversation.
In both the US and Canada, June is Pride Month — commonly referred to as “Pride”. Pride is an LGBTQIA+ celebration, protest, and act of political activism. Nearly every city celebrates with Pride parades and LGBTQIA+ centered events (i.e. protests, parties, panels, etc.). And due to popularization and corporate involvement, it’s deeply controversial in the LGBTQIA+ community.
Pride is an important time to reflect on LGBTQIA+ history, struggles, and progress. This reflection is especially crucial in the wake of recent setbacks in LGBTQIA+ rights and liberties. This is the first post in a series of three I have planned for the coming weeks discussing these issues. In this post, I will discuss LGBTQIA+ identity and workplace discrimination. Future posts will discuss Pride history, corporate involvement in Pride, how to be a good LGBTQIA+ ally, and how to make your workplace more inclusive.
Gender and sexuality 101
We all have multiple, complex identities that define how we see ourselves and how others perceive us. These include attributes such as race, age, and educational background—as well as gender identity and sexual orientation — and are lenses through which we view the world.
Whether you’ve spent a lot of time thinking about your gender identity and sexual orientation or not, gender identity and sexual orientation are a part of who you are. In fact, many people make casual references to these aspects of themselves constantly without realizing it. Consider, for example, how often friends, family, and coworkers reference their partners with gendered terms such as husband, wife, boyfriend, or girlfriend (2, 12, 14).
Just as we often reference our own gender identity and sexual orientation, we are constantly subjected to normative gender roles and sexual attachments through media we consume (i.e. movies, tv, ads, publications, or social media) and social institutions we are apart of (i.e. our education, family, religion, government, and occupation). These facets define and reinforce what gender roles and sexual attachments are seen as appropriate and healthy (17, 18, 19). In turn, we all face pressure to dress, behave, and present ourselves within narrow, stereotypical definitions of what it means to be a “man” or “woman.” For example, girls and women are generally expected to dress in typically feminine ways and be polite, accommodating, and nurturing. Men are generally expected to be strong, aggressive, and bold.
And yet, while we often reference and are exposed to aspects of gender identity and sexual orientation, there is still so much stigma and misconception surrounding these topics! Tackling these misconceptions and creating a shared vocabulary is essential when discussing LGBTQIA+ issues.
Sex assigned at birth and gender identity
Despite popular belief, “sex” and “gender” are two separate characteristics.
“Sex”, or, more correctly, sex assigned at birth, refers to the reproductive systems, hormones, chromosomes and other physical characteristics that determine whether you are male, female or intersex.
In contrast, gender, or gender identity, is your personal sense of being a woman, a man, both, neither, or anywhere along or outside the gender spectrum. Your gender identity may be the same as or different from your sex assigned at birth, and it is not necessarily visible to others.
Gender identity is also different from gender expression. While gender identity is internal, gender expression is the way you show your gender to the world around you through things such as clothing, hairstyles, and mannerisms. Because gender roles are so rigid, we often assume (incorrectly) that gender expression tells us something about their gender identity.
Most people who are assigned female at birth feel like girls or women, and most people who are assigned male at birth feel like boys or men. These people are cisgender (or cis). Cisgender is an adjective used to describe a person who’s gender identity is in line with or “matches” their sex assigned at birth. Individuals who’s gender identity is not in line with their sex assigned at birth are gender-diverse (i.e. gender non-conforming, agender, bigender, genderless, genderqueer, genderfluid, trans women, or trans men).
Cisgender individuals have unearned privilege that many folks do not. For example, most cisgender individuals are able to purchase clothes that match their gender identity without being refused service, mocked by staff, or questioned. By comparison, gender-diverse individuals suffer from stigma, discrimination, and oppression. Within the gender-diverse umbrella, the transgender community is one of the most oppressed communities. Fifteen percent of trans people report making less than $10,000 per year, a rate of poverty that is nearly four times that of the general population (20). One in five trans people have also experienced homelessness at some point in their lives (8).
Sexual orientation and desire
Like sex assigned at birth and gender, it’s easy to confuse gender identity and sexual orientation. While gender is how we see ourselves, sexual orientation is who we are physically, emotionally, and/or romantically attracted to. Sexual orientation relates to both who we are attracted to and how often we experience sexual attraction/desires. There are a wide range of different sexual orientations, some of which I will discuss below.
Most people identify as heterosexual. Heterosexual is an adjective used to describe a person who is emotionally, physically, spiritually and/or sexually attracted to people of another gender. However, most people are also allosexual — a term that I learned while researching this piece. Allosexual is an adjective used to describe a person who experiences sexual attraction, as opposed to someone who experiences little to no sexual attraction (for example, some who is asexual or demisexual).
Heterosexual and allosexual individuals have unearned privilege that many folks do not. For example, most heterosexual people can express affection in social situations without expecting hostile or violent reactions from others. By comparison, people who don’t identify as heterosexual suffer from stigma, discrimination, and oppression. This discrimination is so profound that non-heterosexual individuals are two to six times more likely to attempt suicide than heterosexual people (21).
LGBTQIA+ identities
LGBTQIA+ is an acronym that recognizes the spectrums of sexual orientation and gender identity. The acronym stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans or Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual or Ally, and a myriad of additional communities. In an effort to create shared definitions of these terms, here is a glossary of the LGBTQIA+ acronym:
- Lesbian is a sexual orientation. It’s an adjective used to describe a woman who is emotionally, physically, spiritually and/or sexually attracted to women.
- Gay is both a sexual orientation and an umbrella term. It’s an adjective used to describe a person who is emotionally, physically, spiritually and/or sexually attracted to people of the same gender, but is most often used to describe a man who is emotionally, physically, spiritually and/or sexually attracted to men. It’s sometimes used as an umbrella term for the LBGTQIA+ community, but lacks inclusivity and can be offensive. Instead of using gay as an umbrella term when discussing LGBTQIA+ communities, use the LGBTQIA+ acronym (or, at the very least, the LGBT acronym). For more information, check out this infographic.
- Bisexual is a sexual orientation. It’s an adjective used to describe a person who is emotionally, physically, spiritually and/or sexually attracted to people of more than one gender.
- Trans and transgender are umbrella terms that encompass a diverse range of identities that do not conform to stereotypical ideas about gender (i.e. gender non-conforming, agender, bigender, genderless, genderqueer, genderfluid, trans women, trans men). Trans identities include people whose gender identity is different from their sex assigned at birth. Trans people may or may not undergo medically supportive treatments, such as hormone therapy and gender affirming surgical procedures, to align their bodies with their internally felt gender identity. More and more, trans as an umbrella term is being replaced by the term “gender-diverse”, to acknowledge the linguistic and cultural limitations of the word “trans.”
- Queer is a formerly derogatory slang term that was reclaimed by the LGBTQIA+ community in academic discourse and in public spheres in the early 1990s. Queer means different things to different people — it can refer to sexual identity and/or gender identity as well as a quality. Some people feel queer describes their non-conformity to traditional ways of looking at gender and sexuality. Similar to the word “gay,” it’s widely used as an umbrella term for the LBGTQIA+ community.
- Questioning is a period where a person explores their own sexual and/or gender identity. The person may not be certain how they identify and may be trying to figure out how to identify themselves.
- Intersex is a term used to describe a person born with reproductive systems, chromosomes and/or hormones that are not easily characterized as male or female. Intersex people may or may not identify as trans or transgender.
- Asexual is an adjective used to describe a person who experiences little or no sexual attraction. An asexual romantic relationship is basically everything that’s in any other romantic relationship minus sex. Some people who experience little sexual attraction identify as demisexual or gray-asexual (referring to the “gray area” in between no sexual attraction and sexual attraction). These labels easily overlap with other sexual identities. For example, a woman who experiences little sexual attraction but is attracted to women when she does experience attraction may identify as gray-asexual lesbian.
- An ally is a member of a social group that enjoys some privilege that is working to end oppression and understand their own privilege. Someone who is straight can use their privilege to be a great ally for LGBTQIA+ people. Similarly, a cisgender, bisexual individual can be a great ally to someone who is transgender.
- There are so many different and unique ways that people choose to identify when it comes to sexual orientation and gender. This “+” alludes to these additional communities and identities (i.e. agender, androsexual, bigender, genderqueer). For example, genderqueer (also referred to as gender non-conforming, gender variant, or non-binary) is an adjective used to describe a person who may not identify as or follow gender stereotypes based on the sex they were assigned at birth. Many non-binary people use the pronouns “they/them.” For more information, check out Sam Killermann’s Comprehensive* List of LGBTQ+ Vocabulary Definitions.
Not all people who may identify with any of these communities identify under this acronym. For example, someone who is intersex may not identify as LGBTQIA+. Others choose not to identify with any labels. Some people view their identity as ever changing and see labels as restrictive, therefore wish to avoid labels altogether. And that’s okay! Ultimately, it is up to the individual to define or refrain from labeling themselves.
If you’re confused, don’t sweat it. It’s confusing when so many communities are grouped together like this, especially since when we talk about privilege and power, some groups within the LGBTQIA+ acronym have more privilege than others. Think about it the same way as the umbrella term “people of color” (POC). POC encompasses all non-White people, which includes an incredible array of races and ethnicities — all of which face different issues and have varying levels of privilege.
LGBTQIA+ Workplace discrimination
LGBTQIA+ individuals experience pervasive discrimination that negatively impacts all aspects of their lives. They face rejection by friends and family, educational barriers, employment discrimination, and limited access to health care. In the workplace, LGBTQIA+ individuals are less likely to be hired, offered promotion opportunities, and assessed positively during performance evaluations (1, 15, 16, 17, 21).
LBGTQIA+ men and gender-diverse individuals also earn significantly less and receive fewer benefits than their cisgender, heteronormative peers. For example, gay and bisexual men experience up to a 32 percent wage decease. Wage differences for cisgender, LGBTQIA+ women are less clear. When it comes to benefits, few companies have transgender-inclusive benefits; even fewer offer paid family leave, paid adoption leave, or paid foster child leave for LGBTQIA+ families.
LGBTQIA+ individuals are also victims of pervasive violent abuse and harassment. According to FBI data, LGBTQIA+ people are the most likely targets of hate crimes in the US. This abuse and harassment disproportionately effects gender-diverse individuals, such as trans people. And the abuse doesn’t stop at the office; in fact, 40 percent of LGBTQIA+ individuals are bullied at work and 60 percent are subject to offensive jokes. A staggering 80 percent of trans individuals are harassed or mistreated in the workplace (9).
LGBTQIA+ rights
Over the past decade, both the US and Canada have made unprecedented progress toward LGBTQIA+ equality. In 2009, the US expanded the definition of hate crimes to include gender, sexual orientation, gender-identity, and disability. In 2015, the US Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in every state. However, same-sex marriage is just one step toward equality for the LGBTQIA+ community in the United States. In 2018, the fight for LGBTQIA+ equality includes police brutality and profiling, transphobic bathroom bills, discriminatory healthcare policies, Census erasure, and more. When it comes to the workplace, neither the federal government nor most states have explicit discrimination laws protecting LGBTQIA+ rights.
While the US still has a ways to go when it comes to passing protective legislation for LGBTQIA+ individuals, as of June 2017, the Canadian Human Rights Act protects against employment discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression (10).
Intersectionality
While we’ve now covered many LGBTQIA+ topics, no one is just LGBTQIA+. They come in all shapes, sizes, and abilities, from everywhere in the world, and express their gender identities in a multitude of ways. They are part of every race, every generation, and every social class. Because of this, LGBTQIA+ issues need to be approached from an intersectional perspective (3, 8, 12).
Intersectionality refers to the interconnected nature societal belief systems like racism, classism, ableism, heteronormativity and ageism. This interconnectivity creates overlapping systems of discrimination and oppression. Thus, when, how, and why someone experiences discrimination and oppression is informed by multiple parts of their identity (i.e. gender identity, race, sexual orientation, disability, or any combination of these attributes). For example, someone can be denied a job based on both their race and sexual orientation.
Consider the rampant racism, bias, and discrimination people of color face. LGBTQIA+ people of color face both discrimination based on their race as well as discrimination based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. For example, LGBTQIA+ people of color are twice as likely as their White peers to experience workplace discrimination.
Sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination are common throughout life and in the workplace. This discrimination not only effects opportunities, wages, and family life, but can also place a significant burden on mental health and personal safety (9). It’s important to consider how this negatively impacts LGBTQIA+ individuals who struggle with multiple marginalized identities.
LGBTQIA+ discrimination is especially unsettling given how many people and companies approach Pride celebrations. We will discuss this in next week’s post.
How are you celebrating Pride? We’d love to hear from you on Twitter, or you can email us.
✌️ Versett is a product design and engineering studio. If you like this post, you’d love working with us. See where you’d fit in at https://versett.com/
Sources
(2) Planned Parenthood. “All About Being LGBTQ.”
(3) Queers for Dinner. “Resources.”
(4) It’s Pronounced Metrosexual
(6) The 519. “Education and Training.”
(7) Nye, Barney, Deysher, Karen. “Safe Zone.”
(8) Trans Student Educational Resources
(9) Scheff, Sue. “How Workplace Bullying is Impacting LGBT Employees.”
(10) Ontario Human Rights Commission
(11) The Human Rights Campaign
(12) Oppenheim, Caryn B. “Gender and Sexuality 101.”
(14) Catalyst. “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Transgender Workplace Issues.”
(17) Yep, Gust A. “The Violence of Heteronormativity in Communication Studies.”
(18) McNeill, Tanya. “Sex education and the promotion of heteronormativity.”
