Unveiling a paradox: The persisting discrimination against black LGBT workers amidst progressive policies in South Africa

This research report focuses its attention on findings from a qualitative re-search study conducted in South Africa about the persisting discrimination in the workplace against black LGBT workers. This paper unveils an intriguing paradox that exists in South Africa’s workplaces, where the legal framework and political climate promotes anti-discrimination against LGBT workers while a complex social system sets realities of the lived experiences of black LGBT employees within the South African labour market. This research explores deep and untouched areas of the lived experiences of Black LGBTs workers by drawing respondents about a variety of issues re-garding inclusion and exclusion in workplace, but also looks through the lens of the national policies and laws aimed at protecting such groups and the actual facts on ground about people’s perceptions, attitudes and behaviours towards LGBTs workers. The study also looks at the consequences of coming out at work, workplace cultures and policies, institutional challenges and opportuni-ties, and the coping strategies devised by LGBT workers. The research con-cludes that there is a need to look beyond legislation and consider people’s atti-tudes which are embedded in the cultural, religious, institutional beliefs and also the weaknesses with in the institutions aimed at protecting the employees, as a basis for eliminating all forms of discrimination in the workplace.