China's gays, bisexuals face workplace discrimination

Gays and bisexuals in China face widespread discrimination from their employers and peers, which discourages them from being open about their sexual orientation in the workplace, according to a report released Friday, the International Day Against Homophobia. The report published by Aibai Culture and Education Center shows that 47 percent of 2,161 respondents to a survey keep their sexual orientation a complete secret at the office, while just 6 percent are open about their orientation. The remainder said they have revealed their sexual orientation to some colleagues. Established in 1999, Aibai is a Chinese non-profit organization dedicated to promoting equal rights for those in the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community. Nearly half of the respondents said they are racking their brains for ways to avoid revealing their sexual orientation in the workplace, according to the report, which was based on a three-month survey of gays and bisexuals aged 16 and 59 from 17 provinces and municipalities. It said that some of the key factors leading gay and bisexual employees to conceal their orientation are concerns about office gossip, as well as the potential impact that revealing their orientation could have on their relationships with their peers and their own career development. The survey also found that 38 percent of respondents have been subjected to offensive language or teasing due to their sexual orientation, while 30 percent said they did not receive due respect at work. In addition, about 270 respondents said they believe that they have missed out on promotions due to their sexual orientation. Some 20 percent of respondents have resigned or are considering resigning due to pressure and discrimination at work. The situation is the result of employers' failure to establish measures to protect LGBT staff and their lack of awareness about building a diverse work environment, according to the report. The report calls on Chinese employers to enact policies to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation, provide the partners of LGBT staff with the same benefits offered to their heterosexual peers and make workplaces more LGBT-friendly. "Currently, Chinese companies are almost unaware of the existence of sexual minority employees, let alone know about protection and equal rights for them," said Huang Yaohua, the program manager in charge of the survey.