Conceptualising Work as a ‘Safe Space’ for Negotiating LGBT Identities: Navigating Careers in the Construction Sector

Abstract

Despite sustained focus in recent years on understanding the experiences of underrepresented groups in construction, there has been a paucity of work that has explored the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) workers. Research has shown homophobia is commonplace in the construction industry and very few gay employees feel able to be open about their sexuality. Using qualitative data garnered from 16 in-depth interviews and a focus group with LGBT workers in the UK construction sector, this article analyses how participants negotiate identities at work and navigate their careers. Drawing on the concept of heteronormativity we consider how organisational contexts frame, constrict and liberate identities in the workplace. Significantly, our findings show that despite enduring heteronormative structures, work was described by participants as a ‘safe space’. By demonstrating how workers assess, move between and create ‘safe spaces’, this article contributes novel insights into the challenging of heteronormativity in heteronormative work contexts.

Job Attribute Preferences of Sexual Minority People: The Role of Past Discrimination and Safe Havens

“…Whereas most research on vocational behavior has focused on young lesbian, gay, and bisexual people, Ragins (2004) hypothesized that discrimination influences vocational behavior over an individual's entire career trajectory. Her "safehaven hypothesis" holds that the vocational behavior of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people is influenced by their search for occupations and workplaces that will protect them from discrimination (Ragins 2004, p. 97), and other studies focus also on workplaces in the context of safe havens or safe spaces (e.g., Barnad et al 2023).…”

Development of the Diversity Concept for the Construction Sector: A Bibliometric Analysis

“…The majority of the articles focused on issues such as women in the CS [58,65,66], gender stereotyping [67,68], discrimination against women [69] and ethnic minorities [70,71], and cultural diversities and communication problems [29,72] among migrant workers. A limited number of studies have also been carried out on the sexual orientation of employees in the industry [73][74][75]. However, other dimensions of diversity, such as age, religion, region, physical disability, and other jobrelated factors, remain largely unexplored.…”