I was kind of thinking about my current situation ... I work for a big organisation. I get paid reasonably well. I’ve got levels of security based around [LGBTQ+ inclusive] policies. But then I’ve got other friends that like won’t – I’ll just talk about one. He’s Brazilian. The company has now moved from Sydney up to Newcastle. Kind of working in a factory type setting. He’s definitely not out with his work colleagues. And I just feel like all the support that I’m getting indirectly –the morning teas, the policies, just the acknowledgement – you know, all the kind of indirect things I don’t even think about. They’re just part of my daily life. And I just think about him sometimes ... working there in the factory and then going home. He gets a lift with some of his Brazilian mates and he lives by himself and they not knowing he’s gay. Sometimes I wonder about him and how privileged I am while other people, they’re – I wouldn’t say that the place he works in is homophobic but he’s obviously not comfortable enough to tell them. But he’s a very kind of a private person anyway. You know, I think there’s a lot of other workplaces that could be just difficult for people … maybe it is time to start trying to get into those other smaller organisations that really don’t have the resources. They don’t have HR teams, they don’t have diversity groups and things within the workplace. So it is trying to get into those workplaces that I think would be the most benefit of this research. Gay, male, 50s
9. SAFETY AT WORK: PHYSICAL SAFETY, MENTAL WELL-BEING AND EMOTIONAL LABOUR While no-one in the study reported being physically injured at work due to homophobia, some participants described being seriously concerned that ‘tense’ discussions about LGBTQ+ issues or identity with colleagues could escalate to a point where someone was hurt. [One day, a colleague was complaining about] the ‘genders’ and them getting special favours and LGBT whatever. I said to him, “as a white heterosexual male have you ever walked down the street and someone’s abused you for being an f’ing queer?” and he goes “oh no”. I said, “have you ever felt fear for your safety?” I said “You know what? Every day I want to come to work, I want to do a good job, I want to get along with everybody and I just want to go home alive”. I work in high voltage. I work in a high risk work environment. But
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