Over the Rainbow? The Road to LGBTI Inclusion
Ensuring that LGBTI people – i.e. lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender and intersex individuals – can live as who they are without being discriminated against or attacked is a concern worldwide. Discrimination against LGBTI people remains pervasive, while its cost is massive. It lowers investment in human capital due to bullying at school. It also reduces economic output by excluding LGBTI talents from the labour market and impairing their mental health, hence their productivity. This report provides a comprehensive overview of the extent to which laws in OECD countries ensure equal treatment of LGBTI people, and of the complementary policies that could help foster LGBTI inclusion. The report first identifies the legislative and regulatory frameworks in the areas of civil rights, protection against discrimination and violence, as well as health that are critical for the inclusion of sexual and gender minorities. The report then explores whether these laws are in force in OECD countries and examines the margin for further improvement. Finally, the report investigates the broader policy measures that should accompany LGBTI-inclusive laws in order to strengthen the inclusion of LGBTI people.
LGBTI-inclusive laws and policies in OECD countries: An overview
This introductory chapter summarises the report’s findings on the extent to which laws in OECD countries ensure equal treatment of LGBTI people, and on the complementary policies that could help foster LGBTI inclusion. The report first defines the legislative and regulatory framework that is critical for the inclusion of sexual and gender minorities and then explores whether these laws are in force in OECD countries. It reveals that the road to LGBTI inclusion is not over the rainbow: all OECD countries have been making progress over the last two decades. But they are still only halfway to full legal inclusion of LGBTI individuals. Finally, the report sets out broader policy measures that should accompany LGBTI-inclusive laws in order to strengthen the inclusion of LGBTI people.
- Click to access:
-
Click to download PDF - 1.47MBPDF