Discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation continues to be an urgent problem, which confronts people all over Europe on a daily basis. In 2019, 43 % said they had experienced discrimination over the past 12 months. Apart from that, every fifth respondent suffered discrimination at the workplace and every tenth respondent felt discriminated against when looking for a job. Against this background, the WE Project spent the last 18 months investigating the experiences of discrimination made by young LGBT+Q+ people in Europe, who are at the start of their career – with the aim to support these young people in respect of their resources and coping strategies. In addition, the project is to provide assistance to experts and to integrate political decision-makers and social stakeholders.
 

In her opening presentation, MEP Estrella Durà Ferrandis (S&D) stated that the commitment to anti-discrimination within the European Pillar of Social Rights was reflected in the equal opportunities principle. According to Durà Ferrandis, better legislation is needed to combat discrimination in the EU. She also emphasised that equality at the workplace has to go hand in hand with equality in all societal domains. In that regard, Durà Ferrandis referred to the 2008 Anti-Discrimination Directive, whose objective is equality in all areas of life. Unfortunately, however, the Council is blocking this Directive, even though its implementation could significantly contribute to comprehensive equality within the EU.
 

Subsequently, Daniel Schönherr (SORA Institute) gave an overview of the entire project and its results, followed by a detailed presentation of the studies and their outcome. Matej Horvat (Comenius University Bratislava) presented a comparative analysis of existing anti-discrimination legislation in the EU. Horvat stated that the non-discrimination principle was fundamentally embedded in the treaties of the European Union as well as being reflected in several EU Directives. However, the fact that the Directives do not mention gender identity as a reason for discrimination, would in practice result in inadequate protection for transgender and intersex people.
 

Igor Grabovac (Medical University of Vienna) presented Best Practice examples. He identified and analysed institutions, which supported diversity in the workplace. Most Best Practice initiatives exist in the NGO sector and in big firms. The analysed measures comprise among other things programmes to counteract prejudice at the workplace as well as strategies to improve the visibility of LGBT+Q+ people. However, according to Grabovac, it is key that businesses not only promote inclusive and safe workplaces on paper, but that they indeed put in place concrete measures, implemented regarding the corporate culture.
 

Afterwards, Radhika Seiler-Ramadas (Medical University of Vienna) presented the project’s Field Report. Whilst a third of the young LGBT+Q+ respondents said that they experience discrimination, the majority of these incidents is not reported, one of the reasons being that respondents are not aware of contact points to report discrimination. Seiler-Ramadas pointed out that discrimination represents a deeply rooted societal issues, with sometimes devastating psychological consequences for the people concerned. Hence, both inclusion measures to support diversity at the workplace and strong anti-discrimination laws are vital.
 

Finally, Laura Llop Medina (Poblienestar University of Valencia) and Maja Šarić (Forum for Freedom in Education) presented an interactive toolkit and an online learning platform. The interactive toolkit is primarily aimed at employers and represents a freely available collection of Best Practice initiatives, which support the inclusion of young LGBT+Q+ people in the labour market and seek to counteract discrimination due to sexual orientation or gender identity. The online learning platform is also freely accessible and available in six languages. Its target is to sensitise and inform young LGBT+Q+ people as well as professionals working with them. Apart from that, the learning platform provides information on the key concepts of an inclusive workplace.
 

Further information:

WE Project: Promoting work based equality for LGBT+Q+ youth

WE Project: Synthesis Report

AK Wien: Diskriminierungserfahrungen in Österreich (German only)

AK Wien: Arbeitssituation von LSBTI-Personen in Österreich (German only) 

AK EUROPA: Mapping discrimination in Austria and beyond: Responses at EU and national level