Being LGBTQIA+, or queer, in the workplace can be difficult. It can be stressful to hide who you are, or to hear co-workers and customers using offensive language and expressing harmful ideas. However, it can also be challenging to come out, especially if you think you’re the only one in that workplace or if you’re unsure how you might be accepted afterward.
There are legal protections in place for LGBTQIA+ individuals in the workplace, such as the Supreme Court’s 2020 decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity; both are protected categories under Title VII, the federal employment non-discrimination law.1 Even so, people may still experience micro-aggressions and lack a truly supportive workplace environment.2 And even the most progressive companies may still lack equal benefits for their queer employees or may not support communities beyond the workplace, as shown in reports like the Human Rights Campaign’s yearly Corporate Equality Index.3 These realities become especially critical when more than 1 in 4 Gen Z adults identify as queer, and when 1 in 3 queer Americans report experiencing discrimination in their career development.4 Even today, queer people still tend to feel underrepresented and unincluded in many parts of the workforce, and those of some identities, like LGBTQIA+ women, experience these issues even more keenly.5
So where does this leave LGBTQIA+ workers? In many cases, sadly, this is a question that every queer person must answer for themself. Do they feel safe coming out at work? Does their workplace have policies, working groups, or support for them? Will those higher up the ladder help or hinder them, if they need support? Will they feel targeted – even just by questions – from co-workers or customers who might not recognize their identity?
This Topic in Utah
These questions may feel especially pertinent to Utah, which is well-known as a majority-red state dominated by conservative politics. Moreover, Utah is home to the conservative Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, whose doctrine today “distinguishes between same-sex attraction and homosexual behavior” – that is, offers conditional and partial acceptance of queerness.6 These realities may leave queer people wondering whether it’s safe to move to Utah for school or work, and what it’s like to be visibly queer in this state.
Specific parts of Utah, particularly the capital of Salt Lake City, are much more accepting. In fact, Salt Lake has encouraged a vibrant counterculture, including bars, music venues, game shops, indie coffee shops, and tattoo shops. While these are not fully synonymous with being LGBTQIA+, they can often be encouraging to people whose lives do not fit the norm in other ways. Also in Salt Lake City, pride flags are visible across town during June and many small queer and queer-friendly businesses thrive.7
Specific resources available to LGBTQIA+ workers in Utah include the Utah Pride Center, the Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce, the nonprofit Encircle, and soon, a Utah LGBTQ+ Visitors Center.
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- HRC Foundation. n.d. “Coming Out at Work.” Human Rights Campaign, https://www.hrc.org/resources/coming-out-at-work
- Gattuso, R. 2021. “The risks of coming out at work.” Worklife, BBC, 1 Jun. 2021, https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210526-the-risks-of-coming-out-at-work
- Human Rights Campaign. 2024. “Corporate Equality Index 2023-2024.” Workplace Reports, Human Rights Campaign. https://www.hrc.org/resources/corporate-equality-index
- Ten Thousand Coffees Team. 2024. “The State of LGBTQ+ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace in 2024.” 10KC, 21 May 2024. https://www.tenthousandcoffees.com/blog/lgbtq-diversity-workplace
- Ellsworth, D., Mendy. A., & Sullivan, G. 2020. “How the LGBTQ+ community fares in the workplace.” McKinsey & Co., 23 Jun. 2020. https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/how-the-lgbtq-plus-community-fares-in-the-workplace
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. n.d. “Same-Sex Attraction.” https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/same-sex-attraction?lang=eng
- For a partial list, see: https://www.visitsaltlake.com/plan-your-visit/community-diversity/lgbtq/lgbtq-businesses/