There are many datasets that don’t include intersectional data, for example, showing the percentage of women working in tech that are also gay or bi. 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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