LGBTQ+ Inclusion – The Key to Equality
By: Jaclyn Carr
The rights of the LGBTQ+ community have been a prevalent topic in America for decades, but it was only recently that progress truly began in giving this community the equality that they deserve. On February 25th, 2021, just over two years ago, the House of Representatives passed the Equality Act. This act was intended to incorporate the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals into the Civil Rights Act of 1964. More specifically, it bans all discrimination that is based on the sexual orientation, gender identity, and sexual status of an individual. Before this act was passed, 29 states did not have any laws protecting the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. The simple facts are that LGBTQ+ rights are human rights, and they should not be treated any different based off of their personal preference. An individual’s personal preference does not truly affect others, but rather others choose to let it affect them. LGBTQ+ individuals should have the opportunity to be productive members in society, just like anyone else, without the fear of strife or criticism about who they are. Today we will discuss the importance of equal rights for all, the progress that has been made, and what still needs to be done to achieve equality for the LGBTQ+ community.
Why is LGBTQ+ equality important?
LGBTQ+ inclusion is important in all aspects of life including workplaces, health care, educational spaces, and social settings. Inclusion of these individuals creates an environment where everyone can be themselves all while being able to embrace their surrounding peers. Along with creating a comfortable space for all, LGBTQ+ inclusion can also help reduce the risk of mental health issues that are often seen in LGBTQ+ individuals, such as anxiety, depression, and suicide. Equality in these environments reduces stress for these individuals and helps increase the productivity and positive relationships among co-workers, supervisors, and peers. There is no limit when considering how much the LGBTQ+ community could accomplish if they felt embraced and accepted by their peers.
In what ways are LGBTQ+ individuals still facing inequality?
Although the United States has come a long way with LGBTQ+ rights, especially over the past 10 years, a recent survey from 2022 shows that there is still much to be accomplished. This survey was conducted by the Williams Institute of UCLA. In 2022, more than 33% of LGBTQ+ Americans faced some form of discrimination whether it be in healthcare, their workplace, educational settings, or other social settings. On top of this, approximately 4 out of 5 LGBTQ+ Americans reported that they decided to hide their personal relationship in hopes to avoid forms of discrimination directed towards their sexual orientation or intersex status, such as being fired or not hired, being denied a promotion, a pay cut, and experiencing sexual, verbal, or physical harassment. The personal relationships that individuals have is not the deciding factor in their work ethic and judging someone based off of this can suppress the true talent and work ethic they bring to the table. Besides workplace conflict, many LGBTQ+ individuals also expressed healthcare complications, particularly those who are transgender. This survey reported that 1 in 3 transgender individuals avoided healthcare all together in the previous year due to the disrespect and judgement they received from their providers. They also report that their healthcare providers were unsure how to treat their health issues, leaving them to educate their provider on the proper approach of care. Whether it be the workplace or healthcare, these individuals deserve equal opportunity everywhere.
What are some ways equality and inclusion can be improved for LGBTQ+ individuals?
Laws such as the Equality Act and the Respect for Marriage Act have started to open doors for the LGBTQ+ community by providing a platform for inclusion and acceptance in society. Linkage to health care has improved by 5% since 2017, from 77% to 82.5%, according to Healthy People 2030. Continued growth in this area will greatly increase the health of the community. Along with healthcare improvement, the discrimination, or bullying, of LGBTQ+ individuals in workplace and educational settings has slightly declined since 2017, from 33% to 32%, according to Healthy People 2030. Adversely, nearly 70% of all LGBTQ+ individuals still report hearing negative comments, slurs, or jokes about LGBTQ+ people at work. Although we see improvement in these aspects, there is still a lot of room for growth. The good news is, overcoming these barriers in the workplace, healthcare, and social aspects does not always have to entail extensive training. Simply learning to understand and appreciate the LGBTQ+ community through education and other resources will help society achieve the equality and inclusion that the LGBTQ+ community needs.
LGBTQ+ Resources
The Trevor Project: (866) – 488 – 7386
The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Hotline: (888) – 843 – 4564
The GLBT National Youth Talk line: (800) – 246 – 7743
Trans Lifeline: (877) – 565 – 8860
Pride Institute: (800) – 547 – 7433
National Suicide and Crisis Hotline: 988
References
Bach, M. (2022, May 18). Council post: Your lack of LGBTQ+ inclusion is costing you. Forbes. Retrieved February 27, 2023, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2022/05/16/your-lack-of-lgbtq-inclusion-is-costing-you/
Director, M. C. A., Coleman, M., Director, A., Gordon Director, P., Gordon, P., Director, Manager, N. F. S., Fowler, N., Manager, S., Medina, C., Rosenthal, J., Murphy, N., Hassel, J., Eisenberg, R., & Roberts, L. (2023, January 12). The state of the LGBTQ community in 2020. Center for American Progress. Retrieved February 27, 2023, from https://www.americanprogress.org/article/state-lgbtq-community-2020/
Reduce suicidal thoughts in transgender students - LGBT‑D02. Reduce suicidal thoughts in transgender students - LGBT‑D02 - Healthy People 2030. (n.d.). Retrieved February 27, 2023, from https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/lgbt/reduce-suicidal-thoughts-transgender-students-lgbt-d02
