Catalina Espinosa
Research expert covering society, economy, and politics for Europe and the EU
LGBTQ+ life in Australia - statistics & facts
The LGBTQ+ community in Australia is a minority population group that has slowly but steadily been recognized and provided rights by legal institutions within the country since the 1970s. LGBTQ+ stands for ‘lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer’, with the ‘+’ representing minority genders and sexual identities not explicitly defined by the acronym. The larger share of the population who identify as belonging to the LGBTQ+ community are younger people in the country, with around ten percent of the 16 to 24-year-old cohort identifying as LGBTQ+.
After the results of the same-sex marriage survey in 2017 found that the vast majority of people in Australia supported this motion, the government legalized same-sex marriage at the end of the year. Since then, more people have been able to be open about themselves in the workplace and feel safe among their colleagues, though harmful behavior still exists in many places.
While today the LGBTQ+ community is widely accepted in Australia, with more members willing to be open about their sexual orientation or gender identity in the workplace, many still experience negative behaviors towards themselves or others. It can be hoped that over time, these behaviors will change to be more accepting and inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community.
After the results of the same-sex marriage survey in 2017 found that the vast majority of people in Australia supported this motion, the government legalized same-sex marriage at the end of the year. Since then, more people have been able to be open about themselves in the workplace and feel safe among their colleagues, though harmful behavior still exists in many places.
LGBTQ+ in the workplace
As the cultural acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community continues to grow in Australia, so does the confidence of the community members in the workplace. Over a third of LQBTQ+ employees were willing to be open about their sexual orientation in the workplace. This trend was not so strong when it came to being open about gender identity, where around 20 percent of employees were candid about their gender identity with most of their colleagues in 2024. While these figures are fairly low, the vast majority of LGBTQ+ employees feel safe and included in their workplace.Experiencing negative behaviors at work
Unfortunately, members of the LGBTQ+ community still encounter discrimination in the workplace. This includes not only direct discrimination but also workplace incivility and in some cases, more serious bullying. A small share of employees have experienced negative behavior directly, or have witnessed it towards LGBTQ+ colleagues. These negative experiences are more likely to occur in certain industries such as education and training or mining. In addition, LGBTQ+ employees living in rural and remote locations are more likely to face discrimination.While today the LGBTQ+ community is widely accepted in Australia, with more members willing to be open about their sexual orientation or gender identity in the workplace, many still experience negative behaviors towards themselves or others. It can be hoped that over time, these behaviors will change to be more accepting and inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community.
