LGBTQ+ officers in US federal service: an examination of workplace inclusion and experiencing sex-based discrimination

ABSTRACT

Workplace inclusion occurs when employees perceive a workplace climate that values all employees and treats them fairly with dignity and respect. Yet, social identity theory suggests that this inclusive culture remains limited among LGBTQ+ employees, especially in hyper-masculine occupations such as policing. Using a sample of 4,578 sworn officers, this study examines the level of inclusion perceived by LGBTQ+ officers in US federal service, in comparison to non-LGBTQ+ officers. The moderating effects of inclusion are also investigated on LGBTQ+ officers who experience sex-based discrimination, to include sexual harassment. Findings suggest LGBTQ+ officers perceive less inclusion in the workplace than non-LGBTQ+ officers. However, LGBTQ+ officers who report working in an inclusive climate are less likely to experience incidents of sexual harassment, while there is no significant effect for sexual discrimination. These findings are important because they extend the discourse on capturing the workplace experiences of an underserved or disadvantaged community in policing scholarship.

KEYWORDS:

• Inclusion
• social identity theory
• gender identity
• LGBTQ
• sex-based discrimination

Acknowledgements

This publication is based upon work conducted under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cooperative Research and Development Agreement No. 21-CRCL-001. The views and/or conclusions contained in this document are those of the author(s) and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of the DHS, and do not constitute a DHS endorsement of the equipment tested or evaluated.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Human subjects research

Human studies research approval (protocol number 2020-01000) was granted by the University of Hawai‘i Institutional Review Board, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Honolulu, USA.