With 1.7 million bi+ people, bi+ people are the largest group under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella. Yet they experience problems at work more often than gay men and lesbian women and they remain largely invisible in diversity policies. Why is that? And what does it mean for social safety in your workplace?
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Bi+ employees report experiencing unwanted behaviour, harassment and bullying more often than their heterosexual, gay and lesbian colleagues. We see that bi+ people often have to weigh the anticipated risk of discrimination against the benefits of being open, such as greater job satisfaction and being able to be their authentic selves. This is reflected in the figures. Bi+ people are less likely to be open about their sexual orientation at work than lesbian women and gay men. Only 50% of bi+ women are open at work, compared with 98% of lesbian women, and a striking 26% of bi+ men are open at work, compared with 88% of gay men. These figures are not a coincidence. They point to structural barriers that require specific attention.
The Monosexual Norm and Heteroprofessionalism
The research report “Bi+ People and Work”, by Bi+ Nederland and Leiden University, identifies two key concepts that help us understand these figures and, importantly, what we can do about them.
Monosexual norm: the taken-for-granted expectation that you are attracted to one gender: you are either straight or gay/lesbian. This norm reinforces stereotypes about bi+ people that can lead to unwanted behaviour, including bullying, exclusion, sexualisation and harassment. The issue, therefore, does not lie with bi+ employees, but with a society that does not fully accept attraction to more than one gender.
Heteroprofessionalism: the idea that only heterosexuality is seen as professional and neutral. When bi+ employees share their sexual orientation, they are more likely to encounter discomfort, sexualisation, or the suggestion that their identity does not belong in a professional setting.
Barbara Oud, Director of Bi+ Nederland, says: “These kinds of microaggressions mean that bi+ employees do not receive recognition, do not feel that they can be themselves, and, as a result, the organisation is not an inclusive place for them.”
Why General LGBTQIA+ Approaches Fall Short
A crucial finding from the research is that broad D&I and LGBTIQ+ approaches are not enough to achieve bi+ inclusion, because attention often remains focused on homosexuality. Bi+ people encounter different stereotypes from people who are attracted exclusively to the same gender. They are also doubly marginalised: they do not fit the heteronorm, but they do not fit the monosexual norm either. Without explicit attention to bi+ experiences, policies miss an important part of the picture—because the experiences of bi+ people so often remain invisible.
So What Does Work?
The exploration identifies promising approaches:
- Explicitly naming bi+ inclusion: Include bi+ people explicitly in policies, training and communications.
- Training: Offer training that addresses bi+ issues and the monosexual norm.
- Visible role models: Create visible role models and employee resource groups that actively include bi+ people.
- Safe reporting channels: Provide anonymous ways to report unwanted behaviour, separate from direct line management.
- Encouraging allyship: Allies outside the bi+ community are essential. This also means setting the standard and speaking up, especially when you are a manager or leader.
That last point is especially important for non-bi+ people to recognise. By becoming an active ally, for example, by intervening when you see bi+ people being excluded through jokes, bullying or explicit exclusion, you can make a real difference.
Rachel, a bi+ professional featured in the “Bi+ People and Work” portrait stories, says: “I would really appreciate having people outside the community who care about diversity and equality, so that you have more allies. Then you don’t always have to fight that battle on your own.”
Call to Action
A rainbow flag in June is a nice gesture, but real social safety requires more. Organisations need to recognise that the “B” comes with unique challenges and develop targeted policies to address them. If you also want to help your bi+ employees fulfil their full potential, start working on greater bi+ inclusion today.
Fairspace supports organisations in creating socially safe environments—one street, one community, one workplace at a time. We focus on the safety of all people, including bi+ people. From policy scans to training, we help organisations make blind spots visible and achieve lasting change, so that every workplace is genuinely safe for everyone. To learn more, explore our offering: www.fairspace.co/nl/wat-we-doen/werkvloer/
Bi+ Nederland is the national emancipation organisation for bi+ people and bi+ inclusion. It builds bi+ communities in the Netherlands, gathers knowledge and drives research, and advocates for bi+-inclusive legislation and stronger legal rights for bi+ people. Learn more at www.biplus.nl, including knowledge resources, practical guides, and advisory and workshop offerings.
