Coming out and staying in: how sexual orientation and gender identity matters in construction employment

Abstract

Over the last three years, the New Civil Engineer, Architects' Journal and Construction News have conducted a survey investigating the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) workers in the sector. The surveys reveal that homophobia is commonplace in the construction industry and few feeling that they could be open about their sexuality in the workplace. In this review paper, the authors explore the theoretical and empirical explanations for the apparent institutionally homophobic situation of the sector. A key concern is what are the experiences of LGBT people and in what ways do gender/sexual identity present challenges in working lives? The results reveal the importance of sexuality in the reproduction of social relations in construction, the nature of sexualised banter and physical harassment of LGBT workers. The cultural landscape represents a toxic environment for those who do not conform to the white, male, heterosexual stereotype of the construction worker and the homosocial relations that surround it. Furthermore, the review demonstrates how research has evolved to now present a critical perspective on how gender and sexualities are performed in organisational contexts. The results presented set the agenda for empirical explorations of the experiences of workers in the sector.