“Developments are still extremely slow”, deplores Monday, June 6 on franceinfo Alain Gavand, administrator and co-responsible for the observatory of the Other Circle which has just published the third barometer, with Ifop, on the inclusion of LGBT people in the world of work in France. The association invites companies to sign an LGBT commitment charter to promote the visibility of these people and fight against the violence of which they are victims.
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The Other Circle also calls for truly effective sanctions in order to tackle the ambient LGTBphobia that is still too often accepted and trivialized. “LGBT people are less resigned, less tolerant to accept comments or insults and being sidelined”he said. “Companies must commit”explains Alain Gavand.
franceinfo: Does this charter that you are proposing make things happen in companies?
Alain Gavand: In non-engaged companies, one in two people is not visible, while in engaged companies, it is 60% of visible LGBT people. And then, there is actually less LGBTphobic discrimination, sidelining of employees or derogatory mockery, vexing remarks and also, there is less LGTBphobia in the atmosphere. It’s, for example, little jokes in a humorous tone such as “it’s not a fag job”. Expressions like this, ultimately, reinforce stereotypes that create discomfort and disallow LGBT people to feel confident and good about their sneakers in the workplace.
Is there an increase in discrimination and attacks against LGBT people?
There is still violence in civil society and in social media. We realized this on the International Day Against Homophobia, May 17. There were a lot of insults. This violence invites itself into the world of work. However, LGBT people are less resigned, are less tolerant of accepting remarks or insults, sidelining. And indeed, they will consider that what was normal ten or twenty years ago is no longer normal today in the world of work.
But is there always a form of invisibilization?
Yes, one in two people is not visible, for fear of being sidelined, for fear of this ambient LGBTphobia, for fear of discrimination as well, of the reinforcement of stereotypes. It’s a reality. And the observation of this third edition is that the figures do not change. We launched this barometer in 2017. Five years later, developments are still extremely slow and on this theme of visibility we are not making progress. So, this means that companies, public organizations must be more involved in this issue, as for the prevention of racism, equality between men and women. This topic really needs to be on the table. Companies must commit to these issues and must raise the awareness of their employees and managers, particularly local ones, so that in ten years, we will have real progress. See you in two years for the fourth edition and I hope, finally, that we will be able to measure the progress on this subject.