Research

LGBTQ+ Workplace Issues (Quick Take)

Jun 12, 2023

This is an update to our previously titled “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Workplace Issues” Quick Take.

POPULATION

It Is Difficult to Determine the Size of the LGBTQ+ Population

Stigma and methodological barriers make it difficult to get an accurate count of the LGBTQ+ population.1 Instead, some surveys measure the number of people in same-sex relationships.1 The following statistics are the best estimates from surveys around the world.

  • Canada: 4%2
  • United Kingdom: 3.1%3
  • United States: 7.2%4

WORKPLACE

More Countries Are Providing Legal Protections for LGBTQ+ Employees

Eighty-one countries prohibit discrimination in employment because of sexual orientation, including: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.5

Despite Some Legal Protections, LGBTQ+ Employees Often Face Hostility in the Workplace

In the European Union, 19% of LGBT men and 21% of LGBT women experienced discrimination at work in 2019, but transgender employees specifically reported much higher proportions of discrimination (36%).6

In Canada, LGBTQ2+ workers are twice as likely as straight employees (44% compared to 22%) to have experienced inappropriate behaviors at work.7

In the United States, 23% of LGBTQI+ employees experienced discrimination at the workplace, but transgender employees specifically reported much higher proportions of discrimination (31%).8

  • When applying for jobs, nearly one-quarter (23.7%) of LGBT Americans have experienced discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.9
Experiences of Discrimination Vary by Race, Ethnicity, and Ability Status 
  • 27% of LGBTQI+ employees of color in the United States experienced discrimination at the workplace.10
  • 27% of LGBTQI+ employees with disabilities the United States experienced discrimination at the workplace.11
  • 29.0% of LGBTQI+ people of color experienced discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity when applying for jobs, compared 18.3% of LGBTQI+ people who are White.12

LGBTQ+ workers in the United States earn an average of approximately 89 cents for each dollar earned weekly by the “typical worker.”13

  • Non-binary, genderqueer, genderfluid and Two Spirit workers in the United States earn approximately 70 cents for every dollar that the “typical worker” earns, and transgender women earn approximately 60 cents for every dollar.13
  • Transgender employees in the United States were 42% more likely to work part time compared to cisgendered peers.14
Fear Prevents LGBTQ+ Employees From Bringing Their Full Selves to Work

About half (50.4%) of LGBT workers in the United States are not out to their supervisors and one-quarter (25.8%) are not out to anyone at work.12 Comfortability with coming out can differ by gender and sexual orientation.15

  • 50.5% of gay men are out to all coworkers, compared to 17.5% of bisexual men.16
  • 48.9% of gay women are out to all coworkers, compared to 19.7% of bisexual women.16

LGBTQ+ employees often change their behavior at work to avoid or minimize attention to stigmatized traits—also known as “covering.” This can be a source of stress that negatively impacts their health and well-being.9

  • 37.3% of gay and lesbian employees said they changed the way they present themselves at work (including their physical appearance, how they dress, and their voice or mannerisms).17
  • 60.0% of gay men reported they avoided social events or talking about their families and lives at work, compared to 63.0% of lesbian employees.17
  • Transgender employees are more likely to cover (57.7%) compared to cisgender LGBTQ+ workers (39.0%).12
Unsupportive Work Cultures Push LGBTQ+ Employees to Leave
  • 36% of LGBTQ+ people make decisions about where to work based on discriminatory experiences or fear of discrimination at the workplace.11
  • 65% of transgender or nonbinary respondents reported making specific decisions about where to work based on discriminatory experiences or fear of discrimination at the workplace.11
  • 34.2% of LGBTQ+ employees reported leaving a job or looking for other jobs (33.9%) because the work environment did not accept LGBTQ+ people.12
Today, the Majority of Fortune 500 Companies Support Their LGBTQ+ Employees by Offering Inclusive Benefits18
  • 93% have non-discrimination policies that include sexual orientation. 
  • 91% have non-discrimination policies that include gender identity. 
  • 56% include domestic partner benefits. 
  • 66% include transgender-inclusive benefits. 

Leadership

Openly LGBTQ+ Corporate Leaders Are Rare 

LGBTQ+ employees make up 5.9% of the U.S. workforce19 but are underrepresented in positions of leadership. 

  • Just 25 of the 5,670 (0.4%) board seats in the Fortune 500 are held by openly LGBTQ+ directors. Of the 25 seats only two are held by LGBTQ+ people of color.20

In 2018, Beth Ford became the CEO of Land O’Lakes and the first openly gay woman to run a Fortune 500 company.21

  • Tim Cook (Apple), Jim Fitterling (Dow), and Jeffrey Gennette (Macy’s) are also openly gay Fortune 500 CEOs.22
  • Sue Nabi, the CEO of Coty (a Fortune 1000 company), identifies as a transgender woman.23

LEARN MORE

DEFINITION: LGBTQ+ is an abbreviation for the community of people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, plus any other sexual or gender minority. In the United States, LGBT is the most commonly used umbrella acronym to describe the community as a whole. The acronym can vary in a number of ways, including GLBT and GLB, and can include additional letters, such as I (intersex), A (asexual), or 2 (Two-Spirit). Some include a plus (+) after the acronym to denote additional communities.24 We use the LGBTQ+ acronym throughout this Quick Take, except in instances in which a source uses another variation.

How to cite this product: LGBTQ+ workplace issues: Quick Take (2023). Catalyst.

  1. Wilson, T., Temple, J., & Lyons, A. (2021). Projecting the sexual minority population: Methods, data, and illustrative projections for Australia. Demographic Research, 45(12), 361-396.
  2. Additionally, the 2021 Census of Population estimates that transgender and non-binary people make up 0.33% of Canada’s population aged 15 and older. Canada is the first country to publish national census data on this population group. Statistics Canada. (2021, June 15). A statistical portrait of Canada’s diverse LGBTQ2+ communities. The Daily; Statistics Canada. (2022, April 27). Canada is the first country to provide census data on transgender and non-binary people. The Daily.
  3. Sexual orientation, UK: 2020. (2022, May 25). Office for National Statistics.
  4. Jones, J.M. (2023, February 22). U.S. LGBT identification steady at 7.2%. Gallup.
  5. Mendos, L. R., Botha, K., Lelis, R. C., López de la Peña, E., Savelev, I., & Tan, D. (2020). State-sponsored homophobia: Global legislation overview update. ILGA World.
  6. A long way to go for LGBTI equality. (2020). European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights.
  7. Statistics Canada. (2021, June 15). A statistical portrait of Canada’s diverse LGBTQ2+ communities. The Daily.
  8. Medina, C. & Mahowald, L. (2023). Discrimination and barriers to well-being: The state of the LGBTQI+ community in 2022. Center For American Progress.
  9. Sears, B., Mallory, C., Flores, A. R., & Conron, K. J. (2021). LGBT people’s experiences of workplace discrimination and harassment. The Williams Institute at University of California, Los Angeles School of Law.
  10.  Medina & Mahowald (2023).
  11. Medina & Mahowald (2023).
  12.  Sears, Mallory, Flores, & Conron (2021). 
  13. Tohl, S. (2023, March 14). There’s so much we don’t know about the LGBTQI+ wage gap. National Women’s Law Center. 
  14. Baboolall, D., Greenberg, S., Obeid, M., & Zucker, J. (2021, November 10). Being transgender at work. McKinsey Quarterly.
  15. Mallory, C., Sears, B., & Flores, A.R. (2022, September). The role of sexual orientation and gender in workplace experiences of cisgender LGB employees.  UCLA Williams Institute School of Law.
  16. Mallory, Sears, & Flores (2022).
  17. Mallory, Sears, & Flores (2022).
  18. Corporate equality index 2022. (2022). Human Rights Campaign Foundation.
  19. M Sears, B., Mallory, C., & Luhur, W. (2021, April). Public and private sector employee’s perceptions of discrimination against LGBTQ people. UCLA Williams Institute School of Law.
  20.  Visibility counts: The LGBTQ+ board opportunity. (2022, March 21). Out Leadership.
  21. Smith, M. (2022, June 28). Land O’Lakes CEO Beth Ford on the importance of speaking up at work. CNBC.
  22.  Probasco, J. (2023, February 19). Top LGBTQ+ CEOs. Investopedia. 
  23. Collins, A. (2020, August 28). Sue Nabi, breaker of glass ceilings? Yahoo. Fortune 500 List. (2022, May 23). Fortune.
  24. LGBTQ+ Terms to Know. (2018). Catalyst.; LGBTQIA Resource Center Glossary. University of California, Davis; Statistics Canada. (2021, June 15). A statistical portrait of Canada’s diverse LGBTQ2+ communities. The Daily.