There is a high proportion of people with diverse sexual orientations (lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual, pansexual or other) in the VPS compared to Australian estimates.
People with diverse sexual orientations in the VPS (estimate)
Compared to an estimated:
Intersectionality
Representation overall is similar to the Australian population and slightly lower than Victoria.
Trans, non-binary and/or gender diverse people in the VPS (estimate)
Compared to an estimated:
Intersectionality
Sources
Allyship and respecting identities
Self-identification to prompt action: Many staff said that self-identification or outing is required to create change. Manager understanding is important. This includes understanding and reinforcing correct pronoun use, recognising gender and sexual identities, and inclusive practices. These set the tone for team inclusion.
Respecting relationship and family diversity: Many LGBTIQA+ staff do not feel comfortable sharing their identities. This includes non-traditional relationships, such as same-sex partners, multiple or platonic partners. It also includes family diversity, such as foster children, gender diverse parenting, or different family structures. Staff do not share because they are concerned about negative consequences.
Systems, policies and processes recognise and affirm identities
Systems and practices should recognise and affirm LGBTIQA+ identities. They should be gender inclusive. This includes:
This helps prevent misgendering, deadnaming and othering. Employees reported a lack of understanding of entitlements and policies for LGBTIQA+ communities among managers and HR/P&C. Organisations should recognise that cultural change takes time. In the meantime, embedding inclusivity in HR systems provides real support for this community.
Gender inclusive design
Gender inclusivity principles for trans, non-binary and gender diverse people are not always considered. They are sometimes incorrectly treated as the same as disability accessibility principles. This can lead to confusion between accessible and all-gender bathrooms, even though both are needed. We heard that purpose-built all-gender bathrooms are sometimes placed in inconvenient locations. Examples include basements or end-of-trip facilities. This means employees must go to significant effort to access appropriate facilities. This highlights the importance of inclusive design. A gender-diversity lens in procurement, contract management and workplace design can address these issues.
Reflective practice and meaningful peer support
There is a need for a consistent, whole-of-VPS peer support model. Current systems are not always representative of all diverse employees. This limits meaningful engagement. Peer support can be informal, unsupported, or lack clear direction and structure. There is also a need for safe and confidential ways to raise concerns outside formal complaints processes. Organisations should listen to and learn from staff reports of poor practice or negative behaviours. This will help inform cultural change.
Pride in our future: Victoria’s LGBTIQA+ strategy 2022–2032 includes a range of initiatives to improve outcomes for LGBTIQA+ communities. We note that experiences are not the same across LGBTIQA+ communities. Trans, non-binary and/or gender diverse employees report poorer workplace experiences and outcomes.
Organisations will implement actions in ways that suit their own context. Example activities provide guidance.