Will the workplace continue to be inclusive for LGBTQIA+ STEMM+ workers in Australia?

Published 20/2/2025

Trump's executive orders to erase diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within government continues its steam-roller effect, not only impacting US government agencies, but also the contractors eligible to work with it.

We're seeing many high-profile US government contractors making changes to comply so they don't lose lucrative US government contracts.

Most recent of these was Google, who are "doing away with its diversity and inclusion employee training programs" and "no longer follow hiring goals for diversity".

A similar announcement was given by Accenture, who will also stop submitting diversity data to external reporting agencies. This follows on from similar announcements at Meta and Amazon.

The question for us is: how does this impact LGBTQIA+ STEMM+ (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medical) professionals in Australia?

Turing Circle was formed based on the experiences of scientists and engineers who did not feel like they could be their authentic selves in the workplace. Many often feel like they needed to "remain in the closet" while at work. It can come down to the culture and expectations set by the leadership of organisations toward diversity and minority groups.

The most immediate question is the impact on the Australian counterparts of US-based companies, many who employ thousands of Australian-based STEMM+ workers.

"Australian operations of Deloitte, PwC, EY and KPMG have reaffirmed their commitments to diversity targets" according to the AFR, but it remains to be seen whether they will be able to maintain these policies independently of their US counterparts. The unique partner-based structure of the large consultancies may make it easier, especially compared to the more integrated US-based tech and military employers in Australia.

The high-profile presence of many of these firms at pride events parade could be an indicator. Although we are unlikely to see impact this year, given that preparations for Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade is already well underway, their participation in future years may be influenced by policies set in the US. (Update 21/2/25: we may have been too optimistic on this - it looks like Amazon and Meta will no longer participate in this year's Mardi Gras parade, with organisers saying they don't meet partner requirements).

Even if many firms don't have US operations contracting with the US government, the Australian corporate pushback on DEI initiatives is already said to be happening. The ASX Corporate Governance council, which sets recommendations on corporate governance of ASX-listed companies, is facing significant member opposition against proposed new reporting requirements on diversity characteristics.

We hope to see continued support from all workplaces in Australia to enable LGBTQIA+ workers to live authentically in the workplace, not just at home. For many years, the experience has been mixed, with many companies making leaps and bounds forward, and others showing little or no progress. The backlash among some employers in Australia is concerning, but we'll continue keeping an eye on what impact this has, especially for those who work in STEMM+ based fields.