Introduction: the need for national and local visibility

Labour market discrimination linked to sexual orientation has received little attention by researchers and not much is known about the labour market experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. There is no question about sexual orientation in the national Census and the collection of such information would anyway be problematic because of fears about the consequences of self-identification (Stonewall Cymru, 2004). Gay rights campaigning groups claim this lack of a research base has contributed to the marginalisation of sexual orientation within the equalities policy framework that from the 1970s onwards has focused on issues of gender, ‘race’ and disability. Despite the widespread discrimination experienced by LGBT people in many different aspects of their lives, legislation relating to sexual orientation was only introduced in December 2003, reflecting its low priority within the equalities ‘hierarchy’ (Stonewall, 2004).

This chapter focuses on sexual orientation and the labour market and its relative invisibility within discourses of discrimination and equal rights. It argues that homophobia has contributed to the general under-resourcing of research into issues of sexuality, keeping LGBT people effectively ‘out of the picture’ (Stonewall Cymru, 2004). The issue of labour market discrimination is located within the long-standing struggle for social, cultural and political rights by lesbian and gay community activists. Research by the SEQUAL project illuminated how such struggles for recognition are mobilised at the local grass-roots level. It explored issues of sexual orientation and discrimination in employment through a case study of the labour market experiences of LGBT people in two coastal towns in the south of England: Hastings and Brighton & Hove (Bellis et al, 2005).

The research illuminated the complex discriminatory processes that affect LGBT communities and highlighted the active role played by community organisations in tackling social exclusion, including barriers to training and employment.

The chapter argues that sexual orientation issues need to be more prominent within policies to promote labour market equality. A holistic and inclusive approach to human rights, transcending the limits of traditional equalities frameworks, could help to overcome the marginalisation of sexual orientation issues within equalities discourses.