Sexual orientation - often ignored as an EEO issue

Feeling that it is not a good idea to tell their workmates or boss about who they really are is a burden some people face at work, with gay, lesbian and bisexual workers fearing they will be treated differently and unfairly if their sexual orientation is disclosed.

Despite laws that make discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation illegal, the reality for some gay, lesbian and bisexual people is that expressing who they are at work is not only scary but also risky. They may face not just a lack of acceptance by workmates, but sometimes social and professional rejection too.

“For some people, a workmate’s sexual orientation is still fair game for jokes”, says Senior Policy Analyst at the Human Rights Commission Jack Byrne.

“Despite increasing acceptance and significant legal advancement, fear and prejudice about homosexuality still exists in New Zealand”. As a result, lesbians and gay men may avoid questions about their partners, or exclude references to work experience that disclose their sexual orientation, in case it prejudices their chance of a job or promotion. “Outing someone, or threatening to disclose their sexual orientation, can also be a form of workplace harassment or bullying”, he says.

To help Human Resource professionals in the State Sector understand sexual orientation and gender identity workplaces issues Sue Russ, from the Ministry of Social Development, will lead a session on employment issues relating to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) public servants for the EEO practitioners’ group hosted by the State Services Commission and the Human Rights Commission.

“For me, being lesbian has never been an issue at work”, says Brenda Leuwenberg, Manager of NZ on Screen, a local film and television website. “I’ve always been completely open about my sexuality, and have never encountered any negative reactions to it. There’s a lot to be said for just being out and proud.”   Brenda’s experience of complete acceptance of her sexual orientation at work is the ideal, but it is not the case for everyone.

In Britain, there is concern that sexual orientation issues tend to get ignored when people are focusing on equal employment opportunities, perhaps because there is still nervousness around discussing sexuality.
According to British Diversity expert Charlotte Sweeney, sexuality is often seen as something that should not be discussed or have an impact at work.   “But it’s important that sexuality is treated the same way as other diversity strands like disability and ethnicity”, she says. “It needs to be treated as business as usual.”

The first step to putting in place a sexual orientation policy is finding out what it is like for employees who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender to work for the organisation, she says.

The British law firm Pinset Masons has developed an award-winning policy on sexual orientation which includes monitoring all of its policies, training for all staff and the setting up of a support network for gay, lesbian and bisexual workers. As a result, it has enjoyed business benefits including reduced turnover, better recognition by clients and easier attracting of staff .