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LGBTQIA+ people because they feel so cornered and worried about their sexual orientation and identity, that they become more focused on hiding or camouflaging their own lives so as not to be discovered. The consequence? They end up being less productive and more prone to failure, which is not beneficial for the professional or the company itself. Veiled or direct prejudice Most LGBTQIA+ people in the job market say they have been the target of prejudice, usually through inappropriate jokes or comments. In addition to the side effects on self-esteem and mental health, prejudice affects the feeling of belonging at work and, consequently, motivation and happiness. It is common for these people to feel alone, without having someone to share their true identity with. All of this can result in anxiety and depression that affect personal and professional life. Misinformation that leads to ignorance What is different from us tends to cause strangeness, which is why people tend to get closer to what is already known. This type of behavior, unfortunately, is the root of many judgments and stereotypes that still exist.
Much of the prejudice in the job market is a consequence of the taboo surrounding issues related to the LGBTQIA+ public, which end up not being discussed openly. In this way, people continue to have mistaken crystallized ideas and the wheel of prejudice is not stopped. Need to fit into social norms Another major challenge is the fact that, to get or keep a job, LGBTQIA+ people often need to camouflage their true identities to fit into “acceptable standards”. Some companies may instruct this portion of employees not to speak or dress in a certain way. This creates a permanent state of vigilance DM Databases which, over time, can become extremely exhausting and impact mental health. Lack of correct support for LGBTQIA+ employees We cannot generalize, but there are a good number of companies that still do not offer the correct support to their LGBTQIA+ employees. In a case where someone suffers prejudice from other colleagues because of their sexual orientation, for example, it is not enough to simply change this professional area so that they no longer have contact with the aggressors. Or worse: asking them to change the way they are, speak or dress to avoid jokes or comments.

It is necessary to have tougher measures, which reaffirm that no type of discrimination will be tolerated in the workplace. Otherwise, cases will continue to occur and LGBTQIA+ people will feel uncomfortable and unwelcome. The serious consequences on mental health According to the Ministry of Health, discrimination due to sexual orientation or gender identity is directly related to mental illness, which can lead to anxiety disorders, depression and, in more serious cases, suicide. In addition to verbal attacks, many also suffer physical attacks, which can end up leading to death. To complete the whole issue that encompasses the mental health of the LGBTQIA+ public, we cannot fail to mention other stress factors, such as the difficulty of self-acceptance and often prejudice within the family itself. All of this can further worsen mental conditions. Therefore, when we discuss LGBTQIA+ in the job market, we are talking about an issue that has a much greater impact on the personal lives of each of these people. This is because any prejudice and stress factor can further compromise emotional balance which, due to various factors, already suffers anguish and pressure from various sides.
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