Intersections at work

27 aPPenDiX a: While academic explorations of the experiences of LGBTQ people at work are relatively new and growing, the dominant voices in such research tend to be cisgendered, well-educated and economically secure, white, gay men , and therefore “positions White and middle-class individuals as the social norm” . 11. Research around disclosure decisions has been primarily in a White context and hasn’t considered the experiences of culturally diverse people. For example, people who have grown up experiencing racism might be wary of disclosing due to their negative experiences with racism. 12. While many workplaces have been developing diversity initiatives for LGBT people, many of these have been developed in organisations where ‘whiteness’ is the prevailing norm, and thus many LGBT diversity initiatives don’t call out the needs or experiences of culturally diverse LGBT people . 13. LGB workers who are racioethnic minorities may still experience exclusion in organisations that undertake diversity initiatives which have been developed based on the experiences of gay White men and women. For example, organisations who encourage workers to be ‘out’ and authentic about their sexuality, but do not address racism in an organisation or the broader community and do not understand cultural barriers related to disclosing an LGB identity are not likely to be inclusive of the experiences of LGB workers who are also culturally diverse. 14. A lack of visibility of people who are both culturally diverse and LGBTQ means that many people don’t see themselves represented in the workplace, and organisations have little experience in dealing with the racism and sexual-identity based oppression these people experience. LGBTQ supportive organisations should encourage conversations on the unique and diverse ways people can experience their LGBTQ identity at work and the complexities underlying the decisions of LGB workers who are culturally diverse to be ‘out’. 15. Lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) workers who are racial and ethnic minorities must continually negotiate a different set of norms, and may experience conflict between their identities , including misalignments between the values, beliefs, and expectations regarding LGB identity of their racial and ethnic communities and the values, beliefs, and expectations regarding LGB identity in the majority and dominant White culture. 16. Previous research has found that LGB individuals who are racioethnic minorities are more likely to avoid disclosing when the values and beliefs of their community include disapproval of homosexuality. 17. Because family and community can be such a source of support and safety from racism rejection from family and community can be particularly challenging for LGB people from culturally diverse backgrounds. Therefore, some LGB culturally diverse people may opt to “pass” as heterosexual with family and community in order to maintain supportive relationships with family and friends, while they may opt to be open about their sexual identity at work. 18.. While it would seem obvious that LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans) people of colour (POC) are at higher risk of stress and negative mental health, the research suggests that LGBT POC actually have greater resilience , particularly, when they are connected to community or due to “Positive marginality” – i.e. how acceptance and empowerment around one part of identity can lead to increased acceptance of other parts of identity, greater wellbeing, and resilience. 19. summary of academic Research.