Understanding diversity is important. There is recent data that showcase we are behind in understanding data and actually working on it. There was a study done in the colleges of America and China with a survey that found that 10% of the students identified as members of the LGBTQ+ community, which means 1/10th of people are LGBTQ+. But how many of them do we know personally?
That is where the gap is, and understanding the gap and the problems of the LGBTQ+ community shows we have a long way to go. In India, after section 377 got decriminalized we have seen an increase in Queer folks coming out and there has been a lot of visibility on various movies and shows which proves India is progressing. However, the LGBTQ+ community continues to face biases. Let me share some numbers on India’s transgender community:
- As per National Census 2011, the population of transgender people is estimated to be 4.9 lakhs.
- Numbers conservation is important because many trans people are counted as either male or female. Furthermore, many were living with chosen families rather than biological families illegitimately.
- As per National Human Rights Commission Report, the living conditions of Transgender People are deplorable.
- 92% of trans people are unable to participate in any economic activity.
- Less than half of them have access to education.
- As per the 2011 census, 48% of trans people were literate and 58 % dropped out of school before 10th grade.
- Only 2% of trans people live with their families.
- The biggest perpetrators of violence are police and law enforcement authorities. The 2011 Census revealed that 52 % of trans people surveyed face violence from the police.
- Spouses/partners are also perpetrators of violence towards a trans person – they are often not seen as victims of domestic abuse.
Also read: Marico’s Newly Founded Inclusion & Diversity Council to Increase Gender Diversity to 30%
Inclusion and equality are two sides of the same coin. They’re both about making sure that everyone’s voice is heard and that everyone has a fair shot at succeeding. They’re about making sure that you don’t treat people differently based on who they are or where they live but instead treat them the same way you’d treat anyone else.
Furthermore, the World Bank Report 2016 discovered a positive correlation between marginalization and GDP loss in a study of 39 countries.
- India’s loss in GDP due to homophobia and transphobia is up to $32 billion, or 1.7 % of our GDP.
- The author of the report believes this is conservative because of the unaccounted brain drain and immigration considering the stigma attached to the LGBTQ+ community.
- In 2015, the global spending power of LGBTQ consumers was estimated to be between $3.7 trillion and $4.6 trillion per year.
- This excludes allies, friends, or families of LGBTQ+ people.
- The LGBTQ Foundation in Hong Kong has calculated that if the LGBTQ community worldwide were a country, it would be the fourth-largest economy in terms of GDP.
- Diverse and inclusive organizations are 83% more likely to be perceived as innovative by employees.
- As per a survey by Vodafone of 3000 LGBTQ+ people in 2018, 83% said they would work with visible LGBTQ leaders.
- As per Hewlett and Yoshino’s study in 2016, 72% of allies said they would prefer working with inclusive organizations.
- India is moving towards working with the largest working population.
- By 2025, Millennials and Gen Y are projected to be 75 % of the workforce.
- They make choices based on the causes they identify with and support.
Also read: Here’s Why Diversity, Equality, Inclusion Is A Must-Have In Your Employer Branding Efforts
As we’ve seen, the numbers are substantial, prompting the question: do you know anyone in your immediate circle who is LGBTQ+? This is where Inclusion comes in.
Inclusion
Inclusion and equality are two sides of the same coin. They’re both about making sure that everyone’s voice is heard and that everyone has a fair shot at succeeding. They’re about making sure that you don’t treat people differently based on who they are or where they live but instead treat them the same way you’d treat anyone else.
Equity
Equity is about understanding differences and giving everyone equal opportunities. It’s about making sure everyone has the same chance to succeed in life, upskilling and encouraging them to learn new skills and improve their qualifications to better fit into the working world. Understanding privileges means understanding how your own circumstances affect others’ lives and learning to recognize when it’s time to give up some of your benefits so that others can gain them too.
Also read: How Work Culture Shift Helped Tilaknagar Industries Beat Financial Stress?
Equity is the key to success in society
The first step towards equity is understanding differences and giving equal opportunities to all people. If you know how privilege operates in society, you will be able to acknowledge your own privileges and work towards making yourself more equitable.
It is essential to learn about how privilege works so that you can become aware of how it affects people around you. This can help you understand why some people might act differently than others or why they might have more opportunities than others do. Understanding privileges allows one to make changes that will improve their way of life.
When are you starting your ally journey?
About the Author: Ankita Mehra is an advocate of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity in the workplace.
