Mundane Exclusion in the Workplace and LGBTQ+ Response Strategies: Grounded Theory Insights

Background and Purpose: In South Korea, individuals identifying as LGBTQ+ are marginalized and invisible entities lacking even the most basic legislative protections such as anti-discrimination laws or same-sex marriage laws. Prior studies have indicated that LGBTQ+ people are pressured to hide their sexual orientation and gender identity in environments heavily influenced by cis-heteronormative standards. Specifically, they face numerous challenges in the workplace, including the pressure to conform to traditional gender roles, exclusion from employee benefits, and the experience of microaggression. Although prior studies have shed light on the discrimination and exclusion faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in various contexts, a research gap remains in the understanding of the structure of exclusion and the response strategies employed in non-Western workplaces. This study aims to bridge this gap by examining the workplace exclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals in South Korea, where the invisibility of LGBTQ+ identities poses a significant challenge.

Methods: We used purposive sampling to select 13 participants and snowball sampling to 3 participants, with consideration of varied occupations, gender identities, and sexual orientations, including LGBT, nonbinary, and genderqueer individuals. In-depth, semi-structured interviews, each lasting approximately one hour, were conducted to explore how LGBTQ+ workers perceive exclusion and respond to it in the workplace. With the participants’ consent, the interviews were recorded, transcribed, and subjected to constructivist grounded theory analysis.

Results: Participants encountered “mundane exclusion in the workplace,” driven by the causal condition of “private niches within public spaces.” Although workplaces are traditionally viewed as public spheres, they are rife with private interactions and narratives that systematically marginalize LGBTQ+ individuals. This form of mundane exclusion includes behaviors such as commenting on opposite-gender partners, posing questions about one’s marital status, and expressing anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments, all of which vary based on contextual conditions. Particularly in Korean workplaces, exclusion often hinges on the invisibility of LGBTQ+ individuals, leading to a nuanced form of cis-heteronormative marginalization that may not be readily perceivable to those outside the LGBTQ+ community. This creates an environment of discomfort and inappropriate responses to identity disclosure. Consequently, faced with the ongoing necessity to hide or justify their identities, the participants develop strategies to manage the public–private boundary around their workplaces, enacting their own methods of disclosure and private interactions. Whether they view the workplace as wholly public or one inclusive of private niches constructs a queer politics of identity.

Conclusions and Implications: Societal disregard for LGBTQ+ identities often results in their invisibility within the workplace, a domain that is ostensibly a public and neutral sphere, yet in practice, deeply infused with cis-heteronormative biases. This underscores the need for systemic psychosocial support for LGBTQ+ employees and the development of queer-friendly workplace cultures that proactively dismantle cis-heteronormative practices. In addition, social workers assume a vital role, not only in offering direct support to LGBTQ+ employees but also in advocating for policy and legislative reforms.