Japan Press Weekly

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2013 May 15 - 21 [LABOR]

Half of sexual minorities receive discriminative treatment in office

Nearly 50% of sexual minorities have experienced discriminative treatment in their workplace, revealed by a civil group’s research.

The research was conducted by “Nijiiro Diversity,” which offers lectures and training to companies in order to promote workplace equality.

Out of 1,125 respondents to the research survey, 47.7% said that they “recognize” or “frequently recognize” discriminatory words and acts against sexual minorities in their offices.

They reported as examples: “Looking at a simple gesture I unconsciously did, my colleague told me, ‘Stop doing this because it makes you look like a gay’”; “When a boss, who is known as a homosexual, caught a cold, some were saying behind his back, ‘He must have caught a weird disease’”; and, “I heard a colleague saying, ‘Thank god my son didn’t grow up to be like them,’ while viewing homosexuals appearing on TV.”

Many said that they have faced discrimination for being single or felt pressure to get married. One reported serious harassment he received from his coworker, “Just because I am single, I was teased and asked, ‘Are you gay?’”

As corporate measures for sexual minorities, many respondents demanded that benefits for legally-married couples, such as a money gift upon their marriage, should also be applied to sexual minorities. They also called for in-house gender awareness training and employees’ awareness surveys to be conducted.

“The research has shown that sexual minorities are working at various workplaces in this country and each has their own problems. Based on the finding, we will work to promote effective corporate measures in their behalf,” said Muraki Maki, representative of Nijiiro Diversity.

She also commented, “At the same time, what is needed is to create a workplace to foster awareness of the benefits of gender equality and to recognize the beauty in a diversity of people.”