(!DISCLAIMER ! Swearing)

1.2 billion years ago cells began having sex. Since then sex has become the genome swapping activity of choice for 99% of complex cells. Human beings have gone with the most intimate form of reproduction, sexual intercourse. If we take a modest value of 10 acts of intercourse per person and multiply by the number of people that have ever existed on earth, it equates to a staggering 1.1 trillion lovemaking instances. Assuming the percentage of homosexuality in today’s nature has remained constant, we can attribute a percentage of that value to gay sex. This amounts to a potential 110,000,000,000 gay fucks that have happened right here on planet earth! *fires glitter cannon*

Although there are ongoing attempts to pinpoint the biological function of homosexuality, it’s still a grey area in the scientific world. Charles Darwin coined the term ‘sexual selection’ which states animals will evolve physical or behavioral traits to improve reproductive success. Some theorise homosexuality has benefits in a tribal society.

Since Darwin, a great deal of literature has been written on the effects of our mating habits on consciousness, morality, creativity and language. Regardless of whether sex results in procreation, we know our desire to impress and select the correct mate affects more than just who we have sex with. It shapes who we are as individuals.

Over the course of history there hasn’t been much discussion on LGBT+. Men who dared toucheth other men faced serious criminal penalties. Quite literally, ‘slayed’. To think, it was only in the year 2000 after the repeal of Section 28, that schools could publish and promote homosexuality as a legitimate family relationship. For decades, LGBT+ have been charging into battle with the conservative white man and in this fight for equality, the LGBT+ community has suffered.

It continues to suffer today.

How amorphous homophobia takes shape in modern society

Highlighted below are 2 forms of modern homophobia,

Casual or subtle homophobia

Relaxed or informal jokes/comments that exploit the notion that LGBT+ is an inferior characteristic whilst not directly referencing a dislike of LGBT+

Read the following quote from ‘Engineering Action: Tackling Homophobia in Engineering’

‘Casual jokes without intent, comments made in passing are all too common. Tacit homophobia is almost too subtle to describe ’

Here are a few examples of my own…

Gay meaning bad

Use of the word gay towards a person or thing describing it as ‘bad’

‘That’s gay’

‘That’s gay’ ‘Why is my computer being so gay’ (This one was me 2 days ago)

Gay was once viewed, and still is by some, a social and biological disadvantage. Using gay as a synonym for bad accepts a secondary definition that was ascribed by homophobia.

Jokes about gay love/relationships.

Not all jokes on LGBT+ and sexuality are homophobic, but you are treading a fine line. Especially if joking with people you do not know very well, poor Steve.

Negligent homophobia

When a company, institution or government fails to recognise, or mediate a discriminatory environment

Taking no affirmative action to support LGBT+, even though there is report or clear evidence of discrimination. Any company with a report of LGBT+ discrimination that has no support scheme in place

The LGBT+ community experiences higher rates of rejection and bullying, through blatant homophobic abuse or subtle ‘modern homophobia’. The general view on gay has certainly improved, but things still aren’t great. Statistics show that LGBT+ are 3 times more likely to have depression, twice as likely to make suicide attempts, 7 times more likely to abuse drugs and the NSPCC estimates over half of young gay people deliberately harm themselves.

Swap a p for an f and oppressional fits into professional

The effects of ‘modern homophobia’ extend to the professional world too. My gayness cannot be left at home and although it doesn’t dictate business decisions it is expressed on a subconscious level. My sexuality affects the way I explain my work, my choice of words, how I stand, how I feel when something happens. It exists, in a spiritual sense, within the soul. I work in engineering which is largely objective. I don’t feel as though a pipe should be 12 inches in length it just needs to be designed that way. This being said, how I feel is by no means irrelevant to my employer.

How can you expect anyone to have the rationale needed to calculate and present findings if their emotions are compromised?

The effects of modern homophobia are quantified in ‘Engineering Action: Tackling homophobia in Engineering’,

33% of LGBT engineers said they felt that their sexuality had acted as a barrier to their career progression 53% of LGBT engineers remain ‘in the closet’ at work In Europe, gay men can be found to earn 7-15% less than their straight counterparts Gay men who have the same CV as straight competitors are 40% less likely to be accepted for an interview

LGBT discrimination is costing companies thousands, read this account by The ‘Human rights campaign (HRC)’

‘While it is hard to find an exact measure for productivity, one productivity index has indicated that closeted employees who are trying to hide their sexuality from their co-workers suffer up to 30% loss in productivity and engagement’

Consider the following maths:

Annual turnover from UK engineering: 1.169 trillion turnover (24.5% of total UK turnover)

6% of UK people are LGBT.

Assuming engineering has the same composition of LGBT

169*0.06 = £70.14 billion contribution by LGBT engineers 53% of UK Engineers are in the closet at work Thus , 0.53 * 70.14 = £37.17 billion contribution from closeted LGBT engineers Using the 30% productivity loss index from closeted engineers it equates to

£11.2 billion in losses each year from closeted engineers.

According to CNN that’s enough money to buy 5 atomic bombs… #gaycivilwar

The good and the bitch werk

Amidst the burning desert of biased competition and prejudice, there is hope. Employers have started to focus resources on ‘Diversity and Inclusion’ (D&I) programs, these initiatives are dedicated in supporting employees of different race, sexuality & gender. I began looking at the companies that have LGBT+ outreach platforms and I was pleasantly surprised.

Well-known, western based companies often have some form of D&I in place. BP run their own pride events and recently participated in an LGBT+ careers fair inviting candidates to apply for roles within the company. A forward thinking, healthy business recognises LGBT+ as a sub-division of society and actively seeks out its members for employment. For a more comprehensive list of companies check out the Stonewall workplace equality index.

The same merit cannot be given to all companies…

SABIC: Global Engineering

For those who are unfamiliar, SABIC are the 4th richest chemical manufacturer in the world. They employ more than 40,000 people globally and have 60 manufacturing sites in over 40 countries. I did some research on their D&I and found almost nothing.

It’s hardly surprising that a Saudi owned company isn’t spearheading the fight for LGBT equality. Even so, I wonder how the LGBT employees in the Teeside plant feel, or the thousands of employees in the recently absorbed Huntsman corporation. These people have not moved to Saudi Arabia but they are still subjected to the diminished effects of Saudi culture.

The policies and protective laws of western countries safeguard LGBT+ rights and help to promote acceptance in the general population. Large companies can influence their employees in the same way by propagating pro-LGBT+ values throughout the business. Yet even with statistics like ‘53% of engineers in the closet’ and the potential for significant financial losses, some companies choose not to.

A word of advice to LGBT+ career hunters… research the company you’re applying to.

Kindness is the highest form of consciousness

The level of discrimination you will face at work depends on a mixture of chosen and unchosen factors: how you identify with LGBT+, the societal values of the place you live in and the culture of your occupation. For me, an English engineer, life is not so bad. Sure, I’m not going to paint my nails in the office anytime soon, but I know company policy protects me against discrimination.

Even with growing support from business and government there are still issues within the LGBT+ community. So perhaps more should be done as individuals. Those fortunate enough to have liberal minds can help by passively educating people who are being homophobic. Hotlines and group support sessions are great, but changes need to occur with the people we are around every day, e.g. Friends, family and co-workers. Day to day changes can start with you.

For more information on the topics touched upon in this article please take a look at the links below. In particular, the Engineering Action report.

Happy Pride!

Jordan

(LinkedIn: Jordan Nisbet)

BONUS READ: For Chemical Engineers

As a member of the Institute of Chemical Engineers I went online to see what iChemE had to say. I’ll let you read it…

It’s a short neutral read. iChemE manage to outline legislature, mention a book, 2 websites and an organisation based in Australia.

This isn’t a particularly forward-thinking image for iChemE, whose slogan claims to be ‘Advancing Chemical Engineering worldwide’. Especially when other institutes, such as ‘bcs’, have sites with several pages endorsing LGBT success stories, detailing experiences and the kind of challenges faced over their career. This kind of promotion is great marketing for bcs and it encourages new talent to the profession. It’s time for iChemE to follow suit by developing the content of their webpage to address LGBT+ matters.

A word to iChemE… I understand you may be understaffed but the lack of effort is really disappointing. LGBT+ engineers, especially those without defined support networks, are coming to your page and reading what is 15 minutes worth of work. Is it so hard to add a few more paragraphs or another webpage? I think not. Heck, I’ll even do it for you.

Links for reference