The first large-scale survey of LGBT people following the election of Donald Trump reveals a growing climate of fear about what a Trump presidency will mean for the 6% of all adults in the US who from part of the LGBT communities, according to a press release by Out Now Consulting.
Key findings from the study reveal:
- 82% of respondents said “day-to-day life is likely to get worse for LGBT people in US society” as a result of the election result.
- 77% of respondents said they expect it to become harder to be “out” as an openly LGBT person to work colleagues.
- 75% ‘strongly agree’ that “it will become more necessary for corporations to activate workplace inclusion policies that support and protect equal rights for LGBT employees”. A further 13% ‘agree’ somewhat.
- 74% said that in a potentially more hostile the workplace needs to a “safe haven” providing LGBT inclusion and equality.
- Only 5% (3% strongly) of respondents agree with the statement “the election of Donald Trump and Mike Pence is a GOOD THING for LGBT people generally in US society” while 86% agreed (75% strongly) think that their election is a “BAD THING” for members of LGBT communities in the USA.
Out Now CEO Ian Johnson said: “While the scale of worry about rising homophobia and discrimination is no great surprise, what this study does reveal is that LGBT Americans are very concerned by the election of Donald Trump and especially his Vice-Presidential running mate, Mike Pence. We have seen this week with the decision by the Kellogg’s brand to cease advertising on a hard-right website, that companies do have a choice about the values their brands stand for and the environment their workplaces provide. LGBT people are looking to corporate America to play its role in defending the human rights of LGBT people over the coming four years.”
The most common words self-written into the survey by respondents were: “hateful”, “fear”, “anti-LGBT”, “less safe”, “discriminate”, “homophobia/homophobic.” Many respondents cited personal experiences of anti-LGBT incidents having risen since the November 8 election of Trump and Pence.
To read the full report or read written in comments, click here.
