Researchers report that as a group, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, Two-Spirit, and other gender and sexual minority (LGBTQ2S+) people in Canada face significant inequities in the labour market, including with respect to average earnings, job satisfaction, and the likelihood of being employed. While this is an emerging area of research, existing literature points to the absence of safe and inclusive work environments as well as experiences of discrimination as key systemic barriers to seeking, maintaining, and advancing employment for this group. Despite these reports, significant knowledge gaps continue to limit our understanding of the socio-economic outcomes of the LGBTQ2S+ community. Qualitative research has particular value in providing insights into the experiences of LGBTQ2S+ individuals in the labour market.
This study is part of the multi-phase project, Building the evidence base about economic, health and social inequities faced by LGBTQ2S+ individuals in Canada, which aims to address identified research gaps in this area. Funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada, the research was led by the Social Research Demonstration Corporation, in partnership with Dr. Sean Waite at the University of Western Ontario, Pride at Work Canada, and the Labour Market Information Council.
This report shares findings from Phase 3 of the project, an in-depth qualitative research study of the labour market experiences of LGBTQ2S+ individuals across Canada. The findings presented here focus on the stories shared by the research participants themselves, including their personal employment journeys, the connections they made between those experiences, and their perceptions of underlying causes and implications.
Read the SRDC’s full research on the employment experiences of LGBTQ2S+ individuals as featured in Xtra Magazine.
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