There has also been research in the past that found a third of LGBTQ+ people in tech believe there is a wage gap between themselves and their heterosexual counterparts, and 30% of young people choose to disregard the STEM sectors altogether through fear of discrimination.įigures from the Inclusive Tech Alliance revealed that 19% of people in tech are women, 81% are men, and again, no figures for non-binary people. Of the LGBTQ+ people who have decided to come out at work, roughly 70% report feeling uncomfortable in their department. In fact, a report conducted in 2013 by the Queer in STEM survey found that more than 40% of LGBTQ+ people in STEM are not out. Not only this, but LGBTQ+ people who are part of the STEM workforce report more negative workplace experiences than their non-LGBTQ+ counterparts.Īnother report which focused on physics in particular draws attention to some of the major issues faced by sexual minority STEM professionals, which included a “heterosexist climate that reinforces gender role stereotypes in STEM work environments.” This kind of environment can be the reason for many LGBTQ+ people remaining closeted at work. Overall estimates suggest that LGBTQ+ people are roughly 20% less represented in STEM fields than expected. Research provided by the Royal Society found that only 39.6% of people in science in the UK are women, 60.4% are men, but there is no mention of those who are non-binary. When it comes to looking at actual stats of the number of LGBTQ+ people currently working in STEM, they are very difficult to find. However, the reports which have emerged paint a worrying picture. There has been less research conducted and only a small amount of press surrounding LGBTQ+ – lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (or questioning), and others, in STEM. The underrepresentation of women, racial and ethnic minorities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) has received a lot of attention over the years, however, one group who have almost fallen under the radar is the LGBTQ+ community.
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