A new Monash University study has found significant disparities in employment and work participation among LGBTQ+ Australians, highlighting ongoing structural inequalities in the labour market.
Led by Dr Dee Tomic from the Monash Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health in the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, the study analysed data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey. It is the first Australian study to examine both sexual and gender identity in relation to work participation using nationally representative longitudinal data.
Published in PLOS One, the research found that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and other sexually and/or gender diverse (LGBTQ+) adults experience higher unemployment, reduced labour force participation, and concentration in less stable or lower-paid sectors compared with heterosexual and cisgender Australians.
"Our findings show that employment inequalities for LGBTQ+ Australians persist even when accounting for age, education and socioeconomic background," Dr Tomic said. "This suggests that structural and workplace-level barriers continue to shape how LGBTQ+ workers are able to access secure and sustainable employment."
Key findings include:
- Gay and lesbian participants were more than twice as likely to be unemployed compared to heterosexual Australians and were underrepresented in trades, manual occupations, and manufacturing and construction sectors.
- Bisexual participants had higher rates of unemployment and labour force non-participation, were more likely to work part-time or take unpaid leave, and were more likely to exit employment over time.
- Bisexual participants were also less likely to work in agriculture, forestry, fishing and mining.
- Transgender and gender diverse participants worked fewer hours on average and were significantly less likely to be employed in manufacturing, utilities and construction compared with cisgender peers.
"Employment is a major social determinant of health," Dr Tomic said. "Reduced access to secure work can have long-term consequences for financial security, mental health and wellbeing. These patterns are concerning not only from an equity perspective, but also for public health."
The study suggests that exclusion from certain industries may reflect both direct discrimination and anticipatory avoidance, where LGBTQ+ individuals steer away from workplaces perceived as unsafe or unwelcoming. Cis male-dominated and culturally conservative sectors, such as construction, manufacturing and mining, were areas of particularly low representation.
"Many LGBTQ+ people may prioritise psychological safety over pay or career progression if workplace cultures feel hostile or exclusionary," Dr Tomic said. "This can result in occupational segregation that limits long-term economic security."
The authors note that disparities were especially pronounced for bisexual Australians, a group that is often overlooked in workplace research and policy. Smaller sample sizes limited the ability to detect all differences for transgender and gender diverse participants, highlighting ongoing gaps in national data collection.
The findings underscore the need for inclusive workplace policies, stronger anti-discrimination measures, and better data on sexual and gender diversity in employment.
"Improving LGBTQ+ inclusion at work isn't just about individual workplaces," Dr Tomic said. "It requires broader cultural change, inclusive education and career pathways, and structural reforms that ensure everyone has access to safe, meaningful, and secure employment."
Read the full paper in PLOS One: Work participation disparities among LGBTQ+ Australians: insights from a nationally representative cohort study. Here.
