14/12/2023 | Writer: Selma Koçak
Kaos GL announced the results of the 2023 survey on the situation of LGBTI+ people working in the private and public sectors. LGBTI+ people who participated in the survey said they work under the fear of lynching and unemployment.
“Sarcasm and hate speech whenever possible... I can’t forget the religious education teacher’s phrase ‘cut off their heads and throw them away’.”
These sentences belong to a gay man who works as a teacher in the public sector. Discrimination and hate speech in employment prevents LGBTI+ people from exercising their right to work and all other fundamental rights and freedoms. So how does this happen?
This is the question that Kaos GL Association’s annual survey is trying to answer. The results of the research, which reveal the situation of LGBTI+ people in the public and private sectors in Turkey, were made public today (December 14).
2023’s findings were shared with the public in two reports entitled “Situation of LGBTI+ Employees in Public Sector in Turkey” and “Situation of LGBTI+ Employees in Private Sector in Turkey”. The reports were written by Prof. Dr. Mary Lou O’Neil, Dr. Reyda Ergün, Dr. Selma Değirmenci, Dr. Kıvılcım Turanlı, Doğancan Erkengel and Öykü Deniz Aytemiz and edited by Murat Köylü and Defne Güzel of Kaos GL Human Rights Program.
“The risk of discrimination is a determinant of the entire working life of LGBTI+ employees”
According to the findings of the report, those who declare they are completely open in the workplace are 21 % in the private sector. The same ration is 3 % in the public sector research that was conducted simultaneously.
“The fact that this rate is lower in the public sector every single year suggests that LGBTI+ employees in public sector have a higher risk to experience discrimination and hate speech compared to the private sector. It would appear that the conditions reproducing discrimination and hate speech against LGBTI+ individuals are worse in the public sector compared to the private sector. Similar to previous years, 2023 results suggest that discrimination based on gender identity, sexual orientation and sex characteristics is an important obstacle for LGBTI+ individuals in accessing employment. They are often forced to hide their identities to avoid risk of unemployment. Since the risk of facing discrimination also continues after the hiring process, this strategy defines their work lives as a whole. Non-disclosure seems to become inevitable in the public sector compared to the private sector.”
In the private sector, three out of five LGBTI+ workers have either been discriminated against or forced to hide their identity during hiring process or in the workplace. The rate is higher in the public sector. Three out of four LGBTI+ employees were discriminated against during the hiring process and four out of five were either discriminated against or forced to hide their identity at work.
More than half of LGBTI+ public sector employees witnessed hate speech
In addition to discrimination, the surveys also look at the rates of hate speech in the workplace. As a part of the survey, participants are asked “In your workplace have you witnessed hate speech directed at LGBTI+ individuals?” and 32 % per cent of them answered “yes”. This figure rises to 54.2 per cent for public sector employees.
Reminding that the obligation to remain undisclosed due to the risk unemployment, face discrimination or witness hate speech, is a form of discrimination itself; the impact of it is explained as follows in the report:
“Participants in this research stated that being subject to discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics and hate speech or the risk of experiencing them paired with the continuing strategy of non-disclosure of their identities created a series of difficulties. LGBTI+ employees reported being unable to have real and intimate relationships with their colleagues, feeling little or no sense of belonging in their companies and that they often feel hopeless, sad, anxious and angry. They also stated that their performance was lacking along with their motivation which all led to depression, stress, and burnout syndrome due to psychologically and physically overwhelming conditions. Their efficiency and job satisfaction dropped decidedly. Since we spend most of our time at our workplaces, the negative aspects of the situation are obvious.”
Quotes from participants: Fear of being lynched, gossiped about, dismissed
Both reports include participants’ experiences of discrimination and hate speech. Some of those interviewed are quoted below:
“Because I am open in my private life, a rumor has spread. In the city (...) I hear warnings addressed to people who hang out with me, some people secretly warn them that if they are usually seen with me, they will also be considered lesbians...”
(lesbian non-binary working as engineer-architect)
“In the bar where we used to drink together, my manager found out that I was gay and told everyone in the bar that he was going to get me fired.”
(gay man, teacher)
“It was said that trans people should die. Homophobic rhetoric is common.”
(gay queer, academic personnel)
“Especially recently, I’m afraid of being sacked at any moment because of the government’s overt hostility. Because I live in a conservative city, I have strange scenarios in my head about the public mobilizing and lynching me. This, of course, makes me think about my life safety rather than my work. In such a situation, I cannot perform as I expect of myself.”
(gay cis man, academic personnel)
“Sometimes I even think about suicide because I hate my workplace and I’m afraid of being fired every time.”
(gay cis man working as a psychologist / PDR)
“Someone in the organization has caused the dismissal of a trans woman co-worker by slandering her for theft.”
(bisexual non-binary, retail bookseller)
“My friend who lives their identity openly could not stand the pressure and resigned.”
(gay man working as an assistant in the health sector)
“My gay colleague is always asked to do more work than necessary.”
(bisexual woman working as a barista in the food sector)
“I am always subjected to mocking and insulting remarks.”
(lesbian woman working as a nurse in the health sector)
Tags: human rights
