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Nine out of 10 heterosexual adults in the USA would feel ‘indifferent’ or ‘positive’ if they learnt that a colleague was gay, according to a survey of over 2,500 people.

However, only 79% think that employees should be judged on how they do their jobs, rather than their sexual orientation. The figure falls to 71% for transgender employees, indicating that 29% of straight Americans believe that a transgender employee’s gender identity is a better basis for judging them than their work performance.

The results form part of the 7th annual national Out & Equal Workplace Survey. The survey is an annual barometer of attitudes surrounding LGBT issues in the workplace and is the longest-running survey of its kind.

The survey also revealed that a majority of heterosexual adults are supportive of marriage-like workplace benefits for same-sex couples.

75% of heterosexuals believe that both partners in a same-sex marriage should receive leave if a family member dies, 68% think that gay couples should both receive leave rights for family and medical emergencies, and 64% believe that partners of gay employees should receive untaxed health benefits under federal law.

Discrimination still strong

Although attitudes and conditions are improving, LGBT respondents still report experiencing discrimination and many still feel the need to conceal their sexual orientation:

• 65% of gay people have faced some sort of discrimination in the workplace
• 47% of gay people have heard anti-gay comments at work
• 36% of gay people say they remain closeted at work
• 20% of gay people report being harassed on the job by co-workers

“It’s encouraging that heterosexuals appear more and more committed to ending these forms of employment discrimination and to extending equal benefits to all employees,” said Out & Equal Executive Director Selisse Berry.

“Despite these recent strides, however, there remain far too few companies and jurisdictions that provide meaningful protections to all employees, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. There is still much progress to be made in today’s workplace and in society itself.”

“It is clear that the next frontier when it comes to diversity in the workplace will be protecting gender identity and expression. Recent media visibility has helped to bring this issue into the light and helped put a human face to this complex and sensitive topic. For the first time in U.S. history, Congress held a hearing on the discrimination that transgender people face in today’s workplace.”

Berry noted that today more than 300 companies prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity and/or expression as well as 90 U.S. cities and counties.

The survey also suggests that public education is needed on the lack of protections that exist today in the workplace for LGBT employees.

Despite high numbers of support for LGBT rights, 61% of straight people and 29% of gay people are still unaware that under federal law it is legal for an employer to fire someone because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

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