Seth Ngo
The LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual+) Community is no stranger to discrimination. Among some of the most mistreated minority groups, the community faces a myriad of discrimination such as exclusion from certain businesses, forms of bullying, and even physical harm for just being who they are. Our world isn’t as accepting as many would like it to be, and one might disregard this experience of daily discrimination as one that only falls into the case of a personal life. However, this discrimination—whether intentional or not—arises in even the most professional settings: workplaces.
Take Science for example. The “S'' in S.T.E.M. Science is among one of the many fields that takes pride in the fact that it is supposedly neutral in terms of color, ethnic background, gender, and politics. However, these same ideals meant to bring a sort of unity among a group—that everyone is viewed as no different; everyone is just committing to a common goal—limit the conversations needed to be broken into. Discussions of sexual interest and identity are rarely glossed over, provoking a sense of insecurity in LGBT minorities; this often results in detrimental consequences such as people resigning from their position. Lack of discussion proposes the pressing question: is being a part of the LGBT+ Community accepted here or not? Jobs that follow S.T.E.M have been long proven unable to retain larger amounts of female and racial minorities, and the LGBT+ Community is no different. Why does this even matter? Because in order to stay the driven and competing force that it is, Science needs more people interested in the field. Straight or not. And evidence shows the more diversity, the more innovation, problem solving, information, and effective results. A diverse platform can unite and work to tackle the world's toughest problems, but it's yet to happen.
A study executed by the UK just last year shows that one/third of their scientists have considered leaving on account of their sexual/gender identity. LGBT workers might feel unwelcome, when discriminatory remarks and/or misuse of pronouns are being thrown around the workplace, which can cause them to leave. This massive loss for representation in the Science Field alone has detrimental results. These are human beings who just want to contribute to something they’re passionate about. But something as simple as the way they were born puts obstacle after obstacle in their path—and some may not see that battle worth fighting.
However, this pressing discrimination is not only apparent in the Science Department, but in S.T.E.M. as a whole. It’s already been made clear that S.T.E.M. fields have trouble retaining women and other minority groups; however, there is a certain group that shines above the rest: LGBT males. It was shown that LGBT+ women were actually more resistant to leaving their profession than their heterosexual peers, while LGBT+ males showed more consideration into leaving. There is a constant lacking presence of femininity in S.T.E.M., and this creates a singular bias against LGBT males, especially those who aren’t as masculine as their heterosexual co-workers. Lacking a deep voice, strong gestures, and overall tough behavior can create a sense of feeling like the odd one out, and not many people enjoy that experience.
Additionally, LGBT staff find it a bit difficult to express themselves to their co-workers, as their very job might depend on them clinging on to the hetero-norm. Being published, funded, promoted, and tenured can all be affected if their peers aren't as welcoming as one might hope.
A study conducted in 2018 reveals that engineers who identified themselves within the LGBT+ Community did not receive the same opportunities as their heterosexual counterparts. A reported 70% of LGBT workers described feeling uncomfortable in their field, and those who persisted in their work reported struggling with a toxic environment even more.
But the discrimination doesn’t just start in the workplace. Colleges are losing LGBTQ+ undergrads as well. Sexual minorities are more likely to leave and change their major than those who are straight and cis. And it isn’t because they’ve lost interest in the field; rather, the environment created by professors and peers becomes so unwelcoming. Sometimes, staying to do what they love is not a good enough reason to outweigh the obstacles they endure. And this all adds up. The fewer LGBTQ+ undergrads that take on majors that follow S.T.E.M, the less LGBT+ individuals working in these fields, leading to less diversity, ultimately resulting in lost opportunities for more innovation, creativity, breakthrough discoveries, and results. Diversity is needed to uphold S.T.E.M as the competitive field it is, and the lack of sexual minorities even considering to join is decreasing.
The pressing lack of representation in S.T.E.M fields for LGBT individuals prohibits this diverse group of people from bringing all their knowledge and passion for work into S.T.E.M fields, and this must change.
So what can we do about this?
The answer is quite simple. Acceptance. The hetero-normative attitudes found in almost all places in the world put a hold on LGBT Individuals, as they constantly have to make themselves known to everyone new that they meet. Our world has a suggestive straight-until-proven-not attitude, forcing LGBT individuals to clarify their interest and/or identified gender. And it is crucial that when they do so, their peers provide allyship and comfortable spaces, so the question of “Is being me okay?” never pops up. It is incredibly difficult to determine if someone is an ally or not, and it’s terribly frightening. There needs to be a reduction of hetero-normative attitudes in workplaces to change the mindset from straight-until-said-otherwise to a more "TBD" attitude. The smaller the presence of hetero-normative attitudes, the bigger the comfort given to LGBT staff/workers.
At the same time, the LGBT Community must be visible as well. Although nobody should feel the need to be pressured to come out to everyone they meet, visibility definitely helps for allyship and overall, increases devaluation of the hetero-normative agenda. The under-representation of LGBT individuals in S.T.E.M. affect everyone in those fields, straight or not. The under-representation of the LGBT+ Community in these fields is detrimental in general, and there needs to be a different approach when it comes to acceptance in S.T.E.M.
Sources:
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/voices/how-to-fight-stems-unconscious-bias-against-lgbtq-people
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