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The Experiences of Sexual and Gender Minorities in Employment: Evidence from a Large-scale Survey of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex People in China

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 June 2020

Yiu Tung Suen ,
Randolph C. H. Chan  and
M. V. Lee Badgett
Yiu Tung Suen*
Affiliation:
Gender Studies Programmes, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Randolph C. H. Chan
Affiliation:
Department of Special Education and Counselling, The Education University of Hong Kong. Email: [email protected].
M. V. Lee Badgett
Affiliation:
Department of Economics, University of Massachusetts Amherst. Email: [email protected].
*
Email: [email protected] (corresponding author).
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Abstract

While China's Constitution says everyone is treated equally before the law, employment discrimination continues to exist. This paper breaks new ground by analysing a quantitative survey of more than 10,000 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people, the largest dataset of its kind to date in China. Only 5.1 per cent of respondents were completely open about their gender and sexuality at work. More than one-fifth reported experiencing negative treatment in the workplace. Transgender and intersex people reported higher rates of negative treatment, as did respondents with lower educational levels and lower incomes and those residing in towns. Employer policies against discrimination were rare, but when in place, they were significantly associated with less negative treatment. These findings highlight an almost completely neglected segment of the workforce and document discriminatory experiences that could be addressed by changes in discrimination law and by employer policies and practices related to diversity and inclusion.

摘要

摘要

尽管中国宪法规定公民在法律面前一律平等，但是就业歧视仍然存在。本文章通过分析对超过10,000个女同性恋、男同性恋、双性恋、跨性别和间性 (LGBTI) 人士的量化数据，开辟了新的研究领域，这是迄今为止中国同类数据之中最大型的研究调查。在受访者中，只有5.1%的人在工作场所完全透露自己的性倾向、性别认同或间性人身份。超过五分之一的LGBTI人士表示自己曾在工作场所遭受负面对待。跨性别和间性人士表示自己曾遭受负面对待的比率较高，而教育程度较低、收入较低和居住在城镇的人也是如此。在工作场所的反歧视政策十分少见，然而一旦实行，就会与较少的负面对待有显著关联。这些研究结果展示了在中国几乎完全被忽视的劳动力群体，并且记录了歧视经验可以通过推行反歧视法规以及雇主多元共融的政策和实践来改善。

Keywords

sexual orientationgender identitydiversity and inclusionworkplaceemploymentdiscriminationChina性倾向性别认同多元共融工作场所就业歧视中国
Type
Research Article
Information
The China Quarterly , Volume 245 , March 2021 , pp. 142 - 164
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Copyright
Copyright © SOAS University of London, 2020

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