A New Survey Just Revealed a Sharp Drop in How Gay Professionals View Their Identity at Work

The percentage of LGBTQ+ professionals who believe being openly gay benefits their careers has fallen dramatically, from 78 percent in 2023 to 49 percent, according to a new Out Leadership study.

At the same time, a record 88 percent of respondents reported feeling comfortable at work. Out Leadership founder and CEO Todd Sears called the divergence the most striking finding. “People are not going back into the closet (yet…); they are questioning whether personal visibility and authenticity will translate into advancement,” he said.

The pattern appeared across all five global regions surveyed and every generation, with Gen Z showing the sharpest drop. Sears attributed the shift to companies pulling back from systems that once turned openness into leadership opportunities, such as sponsorship and development programs.

Critics of corporate DEI practices welcomed the numbers. Greg Scott of the 1792 Exchange said activist groups were “openly confessing to exploiting sexual and gender identity to get ahead” and that “the spell is wearing off.” He noted that 65 percent of Fortune 500 companies stopped participating in the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index in one year.

Will Hild of Consumers’ Research argued companies had spent years chasing political agendas instead of focusing on customers. “President Trump has rightly pointed out that DEI policies are illegal and should be stopped,” he said, adding that businesses should prioritize delivering goods and services rather than catering to ideological demands.