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National Study Finds Persistent Employment Gaps for LGBTQ+ Australians

Researchers attribute the gaps to structural barriers in workplaces.

Overview

  • A PLOS One analysis of nationally representative HILDA data reports higher unemployment, lower labor-force participation and sector underrepresentation for several LGBTQ+ groups.
  • Gay and lesbian participants were more than twice as likely to be unemployed as heterosexual peers and were underrepresented in trades, manufacturing and construction.
  • Bisexual participants had elevated non-participation and unemployment, were more likely to exit employment over time, and were less present in agriculture, forestry and mining.
  • Transgender and gender diverse participants worked fewer hours on average and were less likely to be employed in manufacturing and construction, with small samples limiting precision.
  • The authors urge inclusive workplace policies, stronger anti-discrimination measures and improved national data collection to address occupational segregation and its health impacts.