Intersections at work

11 For this project, DCA and PID surveyed 193 culturally diverse LGBTQ workers based in Australia and found that cultural background makes a difference for 75% of those culturally diverse LGBTQ workers we surveyed. In all, 55% reported that their cultural background negatively affected their workplace experience, for 20% it had a positive impact, while for the remaining 25% it had no impact at all. about one in five culturally diverse LgBtQ workers reported a positive impact. The good news is that about one in five of the culturally diverse LGBTQ workers we spoke with indicated that being both culturally diverse and LGBTQ had a positive impact on their experience at work. For these respondents, their workplace was already doing good work to ensure that culturally diverse LGBTQ people were included. For these respondents there were six common themes in how their experiences played out: Racism and/or Homophobia; Not Being Understood at Work by People from the Anglo/White Majority; The Complexity of Multiple and Intersecting Identities; Working in Regional or Rural Areas; Working Internationally in Countries Where Homosexuality is Criminalised; and Feeling Accepted at Work but Not at Home. For one in four being culturally diverse and LGBTQ had no impact on their experience at work. Just over one in two respondents reported that being a culturally diverse LGBTQ worker negatively affecte d their workplace experience. Being culturally diverse and ALBTIQ+ has a positive experience at work. I feel valued and I feel I have something ‘more’ to offer. – QueeR, non-BinaRY/genDeR FLuiD, itaLian- austRaLian CuLtuRaL iDentitY . In my workplace, my identity is seen as a benefit, as I can better relate to clients who some other colleagues cannot. I have very supportive management in this regard. – gaY maLe, FiLiPino CuLtuRaL iDentitY . awei insigHt: CuLtuRaLLY DiVeRse woRKeRs’ ResPonse to LgBtQ inCLusion . Of the 4,455 CALD respondents who took part in the 2019 AWEI (regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity): • 90.5% personally supported LGBTQ inclusion, • 42.3% identified as an active ally of LGBTQ employees and colleagues, and . • 52.4% of all CALD respondents said that an organisation’s positive track record in LGBTQ inclusion would positively influence their decision to join the organisation, regardless of how they personally identified. Freeform comments within the AWEI however did generate a number of comments from CALD respondents regarding the negative stereotyping of CALD people; assuming that because of their linguistically or diverse background, the support for LGBTQ inclusion would not be there. For many, it was a personal view to stand for or against, not one necessarily informed by cultural heritage or faith.