Staff at Scottish colleges claimed LGBT community get preferential treatment
The new survey found some heterosexual workers believe positive discrimination has gone too far
By Steve Brown
Staff at Scottish colleges have claimed that LGBT people get “preferential treatment”.
In an online poll of college staff, it found some heterosexual workers thought positive discrimination had gone “too far”, according to the Scottish Herald.
However, the new survey – undertaken by UK charity Advance HE – also showed serious concerns over discrimination against LGBT+ workers.
It read: “A number of heterosexual survey respondents believed that LGB staff received preferential treatment through perceived positive discrimination and an LGB agenda pursued in the college sector.”
One participant in the survey said: “The LGB community have grabbed the agenda to the extent that the college is applying unlawful positive discrimination.”
The survey also highlighted a number of negative experiences from lesbian and gay staff, including being the target of “patronising” language.
A participant said: “There seems to be an embedded old school network of male staff within further education.
“The general consensus is that if you are female and assertive then you are usually labelled as difficult.
“This is also reflective of the attitude towards gay and lesbian staff, although mostly gay men.”
The report continued and highlighted the wider concerns over the bullying and said the “negative experiences” were caused by a Scotland-wide series of mergers.
The report said: “The research highlights several factors that have arisen as a result of the merger process that are negatively impacting on staff such as leadership changes, staff reductions and cross-campus travel.
“Some respondents explained their negative perceptions of management with reference to the merger, which was seen to have caused a shift in management style from very supportive to destructive.
“The research shows high levels of staff claiming to have experienced bullying and harassment at work and the need to promote a more inclusive staff culture.
“A significant finding … is the level of bullying and harassment experienced by staff and approaches to better understanding and tackling this should be developed as a priority.”
Colin Macfarlane, director of Stonewall Scotland, said inclusion right would make a huge difference for many LGBT people.
He said: “Creating a workplace that accepts everyone isn’t just the right thing to do, it makes good business sense.
“When staff feel comfortable and happy, they perform much better than if they’re having to hide who they are.”