What does LGBTQIA+ STEM mean? We are talking about LGBTQIA+ people in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths.
With that said, you must be wondering: Is sexual orientation or gender identity related to science? Not at all. The reason for this day to exist is due to the immense discrimination that the LGBTIQ+ community systematically suffers in work environments, particularly in the STEM field. This day is recognized as a day to remember to fight against these situations and give support to our LGBTIQ+ colleagues.
Make it matter
As it was said before, this day is necessary to fight for LGBTIQ+ people’s rights, but let’s allow the data to speak for itself.
Workplace Experiences among Non-LGBT and LGBT Employees
We can observe through the results of the “Queer in Stem Organizations: Workplace Disadvantages for LGBT Employees in STEM Related Federal Agencies” study how the inequities experienced by LGBT folks in STEM are the same despite age cohorts and supervisory status, without finding any differences regarding gender either.
The study “Bias in the Workplace: Consistent Evidence of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Discrimination 1998-2008” finds that discrimination based on sexual orientation is a real deal, which can be seen when people belonging to the LGBTIQ+ community report discrimination experiences based on their sexual orientation or gender identity when non-LGBTIQ+ report witnessing discrimination based on this matter or even with the wage disparity between gay and non-lgbtiq+ men. We can even observe how trans people have high grades of unemployment besides low incomes.
The low incomes coupled with the difficulty of getting or maintaining a job causes direct disadvantages for LGBTIQ+ people who experience discrimination in their work environment.
Moreover, taking in consideration the study “Systemic inequalities for LGBTQ+ Professionals in STEM”, an analysis was made about the patterns of LGBTQ+ disadvantage along five dimensions of inequality (career opportunities and resources, professional devaluation, social exclusion, experienced harassment, health and wellness difficulties). When comparing these values with non-LGBTQ+ folks, we can observe how this community is more likely to experience social marginalization and harassment in their workplaces; at the same time, these people reported limited career opportunities and had their professional expertise devalued by their colleagues.
All of these forms of disadvantages damage LGBTQ+ STEM professionals in different ways, such as health difficulties. It also is problematic for STEM fields, and it can be observed, for example, when these professionals responded that they were more likely than their non-LGBTIQ+ peers to leave STEM. Consequently, this departure of skilled and experienced professionals from STEM disrupts scientific inquiry and technological innovation.
With all this being said, we can address the immediate need for STEM-related workplaces and societies to start doing something about these anti-LGBTIQ+ behaviors.
How to be supportive
You can be supportive in different ways in your day-to-day life. Even expressing your preferred pronouns on LinkedIn (so people who fear exposure on their profile can feel more confident about it), asking the pronouns to all the new people you meet (despite their gender expression), or even saying something when you hear someone making a negative comment regarding sexual orientation or gender identity to someone of your colleagues, it can make all the difference in the world.
Do you want to work in a diverse environment, where you can feel comfortable being yourself every day? In that case, WillDom is the perfect place for you. You will find a supportive team where you are always heard and respected. To find out a little bit more about us you can check out willdom.com, and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter!
Sources
• Queer in Stem Organizations: Workplace Disadvantages for LGBT Employees in STEM Related Federal Agencies: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/6/1/12
• Bias in the Workplace: Consistent Evidence of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Discrimination 1998-2008: https://scholarship.kentlaw.iit.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3705&context=cklawreview
• Systemic inequalities for LGBTQ+ Professionals in STEM: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/348528752_Systemic_inequalities_for_LGBTQ_professionals_in_STEM
