Despite growing acceptance of LGBT people, closets are still common in the workplace.
One out of two of gay folks aren’t out at the workplace, according to a just released poll on LGBTs in the workforce by the Human Rights Campaign.
The HRC polled 806 LGBT people and found that 53 percent aren’t out of the closet at work, an even worse percentage than the 51 percent who weren’t comfortable enough to be out during the same poll conducted back in 2009.
Noting the change for the worse, the poll points to the prevalence of antigay language and conversation in the workplace. 25 percent of those polled revealed that they hear offensive language and conversation at work, and 35 percent are not only in the closet, they actually lie about their personal lives.
Lying about who you are to people whose opinions don’t really matter?
HRC Workplace Equality Program director Deena Fidas points to the work that still needs to be done beyond legislation to make the workplace safe for LGBT individuals:
‘It’s not enough to simply implement inclusive policies — those policies need to be augmented by training and accountability, and [leaders] need to be on the lookout for unconscious bias”
We couldn’t have said it better ourselves, though the first step is for the 53 percent to come all the way out of the closet. Battles can’t be fought on the sidelines, folks.
Besides, it’s just so much roomier out here!
Originally published at Queerty
—Photo Everjean/Flickr