The Australian Corporate Closet, Why It's Still So Full!
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University of Wollongong Research Online University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016 University of Wollongong Thesis Collections 2015 The Australian Corporate Closet, why it’s still so full! Ian Smith University of Wollongong Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.uow.edu.au/theses University of Wollongong Copyright Warning You may print or download ONE copy of this document for the purpose of your own research or study. The University does not authorise you to copy, communicate or otherwise make available electronically to any other person any copyright material contained on this site. You are reminded of the following: This work is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part of this work may be reproduced by any process, nor may any other exclusive right be exercised, without the permission of the author. Copyright owners are entitled to take legal action against persons who infringe their copyright. 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For further information contact the UOW Library: [email protected] IAN SMITH Sydney Business School, the University of Wollongong Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctorate of Business Administration Student number: 3978680 Supervisors: A/Prof. Lindsay Oades and A/Prof. Grace McCarthy Date: 21/07/2015 TITLE The Australian Corporate Closet, why it’s still so full! i Abstract Research into discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and identity is becoming increasingly relevant in the workplace. In many nations gay rights have progressed to be in the forefront of the political and social arena and organisations are now turning their focus towards optimising the benefits of increasing workplace diversity. Still, discrimination in the form of heterosexism of GLBT employees continues to be a problem. Heterosexism is defined as a socio-political system that rejects, defames, and stigmatises any non-heterosexual type of behaviour, association, or community, with the continued promotion of a heterosexual lifestyle and concomitant subordination of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender ones. Although a number of studies have begun to address this issue, large gaps remain in the literature. The aim of this study was to design a model to better understand the antecedents and outcomes of workplace heterosexist discrimination. Participants from multiple organisations from all states across Australia completed an online questionnaire regarding their experiences in the workplace to assess heterosexist harassment, in relation to organisational support and their concealment and disclosure in the workplace. Using a structural equation modelling framework the relationship between these variables was used to predict the well-being of employees in the Australian labour market. Well-being was measured in the form of psychological well-being, job satisfaction, satisfaction with life and mental health. The study indicated that disclosure and concealment of sexual orientation in the Australian workplace are not significantly affected by direct and indirect heterosexism. The study indicates significantly that organisational support plays a large role in influencing the type of heterosexism, which is present in the Australian workplace. The study indicated that when organisational support for GLBT employees is promoted in the form of policies and activities endorsing these policies, direct heterosexist behaviours decrease but indirect heterosexist behaviours increase. This suggests that employees engage in more underhanded/indirect ways of discriminating GLBT employees when organisations support for GLBT employees is present. This relationship was completely mediated by direct and indirect heterosexism. The study indicated that there were no differences between gay men and lesbians, providing evidence in support for the assumptions of minority stress theory specifically in relation to direct/indirect heterosexism. Implications of the study are that GLBT Australian employees have significant poor ii well-being due to the presence of discrimination in the workplace in the form of indirect heterosexism. Acknowledgements A number of people have contributed to the successful completion of this dissertation. Associate Professor Oades and McCarthy, my dissertation supervisors/advisors/mentors, thank you for taking on a project outside of your area of interest and allowing me to infect you, you have infected me with the research bug. Your encouragement and constructive feedback has been greatly appreciated and invaluable in my completing this study. To Michelle, Mary, Colleen and Candice, thank you for your support, Candice your departure from this earth during my thesis was saddening, I am fortunate to have worked with you and the success of this thesis is partly because of you. Michelle, thank you for your expert technical support and helping me understand the intricacies of data collection. Your support was invaluable, I wish you success in your research career, I know you will do great things. Colleen and Mary, thank you for your expertise with the formatting. To Annie, my long-term friend and colleague thank you for your input, you will always have a place in my heart despite our distance apart. The time we spent together was memorable and the future contains more of these memories. To my parents, thank you for teaching me the value of hard work and always seeking to do my best and for accepting me as ‘me’ no closet required. Without your support and acceptance, I would never have been able to be an advocate for others. I know you will look down at me on my graduation. Finally, to S.A.M. who has stood by me through the difficult times of completing a doctoral thesis, your never ending support and technical knowledge have provided me with many moments of relief as a sound technical thesis emerged from the abyss we called our study. From the first day we met, you have been the shining star that has guided me and during this long process you have tolerated a lifetime worth of bad moods, foul language and self-doubt- thank you for putting up with me. I wish you good luck with your lifetime challenge; you will always hold a special place in my heart. iii Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................. ii Glossary of Terms .......................................................................................................... xiii ACRONYMS .................................................................................................................. xv CHAPTER 1 Introduction to dissertation ..................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Legislation and Sexual orientation discrimination in Australia ......................... 5 1.3 Primary Statement and Purpose of the study ...................................................... 9 1.4 Research Aims and Main Questions ................................................................ 10 1.5 Scope of the study ............................................................................................ 10 1.6 Organisation of the study ................................................................................. 11 1.6 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 12 CHAPTER 2 Health and well-being in the workplace ................................................... 13 2.1 Introduction to Health and Well-Being in the workplace ................................ 13 2.2 Conceptualisation of health and well-being ..................................................... 14 2.3 Literature Review ............................................................................................. 17 2.4 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 22 CHAPTER 3 Homophobia to heterosexism: Constructs in need of re-visitation ........... 23 3.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 23 3.2 Homophobia ..................................................................................................... 25 3.3 Heterosexism .................................................................................................... 29 3.4 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 33 CHAPTER 4 Definitions of constructs used in the study and their relationship with well-being