In 2023, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) worked with PSB Insights to explore the experiences and challenges faced by LGBTQ+ workers in America. The survey covers topics related to authenticity, safety, values, discrimination, and more. The research surveyed 3,044 adult workers in the United States, inclusive of 2,002 LGBTQ+ workers and 1,042 non-LGBTQ+ workers to inform this foundational work.

Check out the full report here.​

Key Findings:

• Authenticity. The vast majority of LGBTQ+ workers are out to at least one person at work; however, they are not equally out across all workplace settings, indicating a potential trust gap. LGBTQ+ workers are least likely to be out to Human Resources departments, and most likely to be out to their closer colleagues.
• Safety. LGBTQ+ workers may choose to hide their LGBTQ+ identities at work for various reasons, including concerns related to privacy, safety, status and discrimination.
• Company Values. The majority of LGBTQ+ workers and non-LGBTQ+ workers alike believe their employer values diversity in sexual and gender identity. However, LGBTQ+ workers are less likely than non-LGBTQ+ workers to believe this, with the gap significantly larger when it comes to perceived values around gender and sex.
• Values in Action. Values do not always translate into action. LGBTQ+ workers were less likely than non-LGBTQ+ workers to view their workplace as accepting of LGBTQ+ identities, with a much bigger gap seen for perceived acceptance of gender diversity.
• Workplace Discrimination. For too many LGBTQ+ workers, discrimination and unwelcoming environments have led to an inability to advance in their job, or for them to lose — or be forced to leave — their job altogether.
• Privacy. Half (51%) of LGBTQ+ workers have previously been closeted at work due to privacy concerns.
• Loss of Status at the Workplace. Three in ten (29%) of LGBTQ+ workers have previously been closeted on the job because they thought their status at work would be negatively impacted.
• Discrimination and Lack of Protections. Nearly one-quarter (23%) of LGBTQ+ workers have been previously closeted at work because of fears of discrimination or because there were no policies protecting LGBTQ+ people at their workplace.
• Violence, Stigma, and Victimization. Four in ten (40%) LGBTQ+ workers have previously been closeted at work because of actual or perceived risk of violence, stigma and victimization.

Coverage Includes:
Forbes: As The Economy Reopens, LGBTQ People Disproportionately Face Employment Challenges, HRC Study Finds​

For more information, please contact Amy Crosby at [email protected]

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