New report suggests LGBT people are facing additional barriers to work and education

A new report suggests LGBT people are facing additional barriers to work and education and that this may be down to discrimination.

Commissioned by Stonewall and BritianThinks, the Shut Out report conducted in-depth interviews and workshops feeding back the shared experiences of 30 LGBT people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET).

It found nearly one in five LGBT people (18%) looking for work have faced discrimination trying to get a job because of who they are.

Lack of visible role-models, the negative and damaging effect on the participants’ mental health, a lack of support at home or even anti-LGBT bullying were considered potential components.

Links established a lack of equal education opportunities, safety and wellbeing protection (at schools) and their knock-on effects. Those surveyed also responded they had received a high volume of bullying at school.

One participant, 21, who identifies as gender-questioning from Scotland, reported being agoraphobic, saying “I sometimes couldn’t bring myself to leave my front door” due to the frequency with which they were bullied.

The report highlighted the damage caused by parents being unaccepting when respondents came out.

There were findings of people suffering from depression from as young as 14 due to having to conceal their identity, or a 24 year-old trans man losing his home on his mother’s discovery of his desire to transition, having to move to a hostel.

The director of education and youth at Stonewall said the report displays and sheds light on the cumulative effect of discrimination of LGBT youth and that “it is time to act” and we need to open doors and create environments where “everyone can thrive”.

You can read the full report here