LGBTQ+ adults may be around twice as likely to be unemployed or to report workforce non-participation compared to heterosexual adults.
This is according to a study – “Work participation disparities among LGBTQ+ Australians: Insights from a nationally representative cohort study” by Dunya Tomic, Tessa Keegel, Monica O’Dwyer and Karen Walker-Bone – that was published in PLOS One.
For this study, the researchers conducted a cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis of data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey to characterize work participation among a representative sample of LGBTQ+ Australians. Sexual identity data were collected in wave 20 (2020) from 14,302 participants and gender identity data in wave 23 (2023) from 13,981 participants. Multivariable regression models examined associations between sexual or gender identity and work participation measures. Sexual identity was analyzed cross-sectionally (wave 20) and longitudinally (waves 20–23), while gender identity was analyzed cross-sectionally (wave 23).
Key findings included:
- Compared to heterosexual participants, those identifying as gay or lesbian were more likely to be unemployed (prevalence ratio [PR] 2.05, 95% CI 1.01–4.14) and less likely to work in trades or manual occupations (PR 0.55, 95% CI 0.36–0.85) or in manufacturing and construction (PR 0.40, 95% CI 0.23–0.72).
- Bisexual participants had higher prevalence of labour force non-participation (PR 1.91, 95% CI 1.49–2.47) and unemployment (PR 2.05, 95% CI 1.24–3.38), and were less likely to work in agriculture, forestry or mining (PR 0.24, 95% CI 0.08–0.79).
- Participants of other sexual identities also had higher unemployment (PR 2.78, 95% CI 1.41–5.45).
- Longitudinally, bisexual participants were more likely to transition out of employment (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 2.08, 95% CI 1.35–3.21) and initiate paid sick leave (IRR 1.42, 95% CI 1.17–1.71), while gay or lesbian participants were more likely to commence working from home (IRR 1.72, 95% CI 1.21–2.44).
- Transgender and gender diverse participants were less likely to work in manufacturing and construction (PR 0.35, 95% CI 0.17–0.75) and worked fewer hours (PR 0.88, 95% CI 0.79–0.97) than cisgender peers.
“Several factors, at the personal, workplace, and societal levels, might contribute to these disparities in work participation outcomes for LGBTQ+ workers,” according to the researchers.
For instance, gay or lesbian participants in our study were less likely than heterosexual peers to leave school before completing high school, indicating greater persistence in pursuing secondary education. “This suggests a possible strategic choice among gay or lesbian individuals to attain at least high school education in order to access occupations perceived as less stigmatized or more inclusive than diploma- or trade-based pathways, which often lead to heteronormative workplace cultures,” the researchers stated.
Despite higher educational attainment, gay or lesbian participants had poorer work participation outcomes in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, and “tis discrepancy suggests the presence of systemic and structural barriers beyond individual qualifications, which aligns with previous evidence showing the negative impacts of workplace discrimination, exclusion, and harassment on LGBTQ+ employees’ career trajectories.”
For the researchers, the findings emphasize the need for more inclusive and supportive policies for sexually and gender diverse workers.
These include:
- proactive workplace inclusion strategies
- workplace mental health supports
- anti-discrimination efforts
- increased training for employers, managers and other employees on LGBTQ+ inclusion to improve retention and job satisfaction, by educating the workforce on the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ workers, potentially building a supportive and inclusive occupational environment which benefits all workers
The researchers, nonetheless, warned that workplace efforts alone may be insufficient without broader cultural change.
“Improving access to inclusive education pathways and career planning support is also essential to ensure that LGBTQ+ individuals can pursue and sustain meaningful employment across diverse sectors. Reducing stigma, improving representation, and advancing structural reform remain critical to ensuring equity for LGBTQ+ workers,” they ended.
