What Is Queerphobia And How Can We Be Anti-Queerphobic?

What is queerphobia?

‘Queerphobia’ describes the hatred directed towards members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Queerphobia includes homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, and all other forms of hate towards LGBTQIA+ identities.

‘Queer erasure’ has historically been, and continues to be, one of the main drivers of queerphobia. It describes the process of stripping away the existence of LGBTQIA+ people from records, books, and media content, as an attempt to ignore the existence of such identities and minimize representation as much as possible.

When queer erasure has previously failed, there are many historical and present examples of purposefully negative media representations that direct hatred towards the LGBTQIA+ community. Unfortunately, this is becoming increasingly prevalent in the modern world of social media and content creation, and it is done to create negative biases and reactions towards queer identities.

So, what can be done about it?

Recognising and unlearning biases

The first step to becoming anti-queerphobic is to actively start to unpack internal biases and recognise how the media and other influences have misinformed opinions about the LGBTQIA+ community.

People with LGBTQIA+ identities have not chosen to be queer, but deserve to be their authentic selves and be proud of who they are.

Despite what the media can often imply, LGBTQIA+ people are not causing any harm to others by simply existing and being themselves. In fact, the truth is quite the opposite; many people within the LGBTQIA+ community are involved in fighting for various types of social justice and are actively working to make the world a better place where everyone can be themselves without bias, discrimination, or hatred.

A good way to recognise bias is to internally question why a certain thought or feeling has arisen, and to consider different perspectives. Remaining open minded and consuming a diverse range of literature, art, media, music, and other content can be a great way to reshape the way we think and feel about identities that are different from our own identity.

Changing the gear out of neutral

After questioning and unlearning biases, learning new perspectives, and becoming more understanding of different identities – now is the time when people can not only become accepting to the LGBTQIA+ community, but can also choose to be unaccepting towards discrimination and hatred.

Allyship doesn’t take a neutral stance, but instead requires action that is actively supportive of underrepresented communities.

Having said this, we all have different ways of handling situations and different preferences on how we contribute to social situations. These differences are absolutely valid and anti-queerphobia can manifest in many different types of actions.

Examples of actions against queerphobia:

Sharing diverse content and positive media representation for more people to see. This could be in the form of sharing books, music, and films that offer LGBTQIA+ perspectives and reframe negative connotations into positive ones.

Donating to charities and initiatives that address the challenges faced by members of the LGBTQIA+ community and are providing solutions and support.

Supporting LGBTQIA+ colleagues in the workplace by ensuring their voices are heard in meetings, offering a safe space for them to talk, celebrating their work, and ensuring they’re valued in the organisation

Speaking up when hearing discrimination and hate, and making sure to not participate in harmful actions or narratives

Supporting LGBTQIA+ owned businesses by shopping there, recommending their products or services, and sharing their content to help with promotions

Always ensuring that LGBTQIA+ freelancers are paid for services within your organisation, such as speaking events or training sessions

Continuing to unlearn biases, consider new perspectives, and maintain the anti-queerphobic mindset in both home-life and work-life

Queerphobia can be a roadblock to inclusive workplaces

Queerphobia, whether in the form of biases, negative media portrayals, or the erasure of LGBTQIA+ identities, poses a significant challenge for creating inclusive environments. Queer employees may feel unsafe, unsupported, or invisible as a result of these detrimental beliefs, which may block attempts to encourage diversity. Open communication is undermined, collaboration is stifled, and queerphobia can increase employee turnover, since employees may decide to leave organizations in which their identities are not respected.

To make the workplace truly welcoming for everyone, these biases must be faced and broken down so that all workers, no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity, feel welcome and supported.

How can Diversio help?

At Diversio, we recognize that combating queerphobia within organizations requires more than awareness—it demands data-driven insights, targeted actions, and continuous improvement.

Diversio’s platform and experts offer organizations a comprehensive approach to uncovering hidden biases and building a more inclusive culture.

Through AI-powered data analytics, the DEI software identifies gaps in inclusion, compares intersectionalities, and provides actionable recommendations to address queerphobia and other forms of exclusion. The platform’s customized employee engagement surveys capture real-time data, offering insights into the unique experiences of LGBTQIA+ employees, and enabling organizations to track their progress in fostering a supportive, inclusive environment.

In addition to the platform’s data-driven capabilities, Diversio provides expert-led inclusion training programs. Unconscious bias training and cultural competency programs educate management and employees on LGBTQIA+ inclusiveness and fight unfavorable stereotypes. These trainings provide your teams with concrete strategies to fight queerphobia and develop a culture of belonging for all. Diversio helps companies make lasting change using cutting-edge technology and expert-led trainings.

What Is Queerphobia and How Can We Be Anti-Queerphobic?