Findings
7.1 Some Muslim LBT women are not encouraged to pursue employment outside the home by families who gear their daughters towards a full-time role at home as a wife and mother. It can be difficult to find employment and become financially independent for those women who then need to leave home or need to relocate to a different area of Britain to be safe from violent family members.

7.2 In particular, women from poorer backgrounds often do not have full access to education, which is an obstacle in entering employment.

7.3 Many LBT women, particularly those from a black or ethnic minority background, tend to seek and/or find employment with organisations dealing with women ’s rights, LGBT issues, race politics and non- discrimination issues. However, working in these environments does not necessarily guarantee non- discrimination of employees and all- inclusiveness in the workplace. For example, some women said that they did not feel comfortable to ‘be out ’ in their workplace or were even told they should keep their sexual orientation quiet, particularly in race or religion-specific organisations. One woman working for an LGBT organisation felt that a number of her colleagues were Islamophobic. (See also under Domestic Violence and Refuges.)

7.4 There is little research on the employment choices and experiences of LBT women in general, leave alone taking ethnic and religious backgrounds into account. According to a UNISON representative, lesbian and bisexual women are more likely to be out at work if they are members of a trade union. Moreover, workplaces are 20 per cent more likely to have an equal opportunities policy if they are unionised. Although not all unions have been quick to take up the rights of their black and ethnic minority and/or LGBT members, many unions now have groups of black and LGBT members.

7.5 For Muslim LBT women who suffer discrimination in their employment, UK anti-discrimination legislation is incomplete and inconsistent. At present, women are protected from discrimination on the grounds of their gender and race but not on the grounds of their religion or sexual orientation. A recent EU Directive is now requiring the UK Government to bring in new legislation protecting workers from discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation or religion by the end of next year (December 2003). Having separate laws for different grounds of discrimination, using different terms and definitions, keeps the law inaccessible and does not take multiple discrimination into account.

7.6 There is also the possibility of conflicts between the rules seeking to protect against discrimination on various grounds. Of particular relevance to Muslim LBT women is the possible conflict between protection against discrimination on the grounds of religion and protection against discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. The new anti- discrimination law will most likely include an exception for religious organisations. In that case a Muslim organisation may be allowed to discriminate against LGBT (prospective) employees, and do so without violating the law.

Needs
7.7 For women who need to leave home and/or relocate to a different area, extra support to find (new) employment, education and/or training needs to be given.

7.8 Muslim women, in particular those from poorer backgrounds, should have the opportunity to obtain the further education and skills that are needed to find employment and increase their chances to be independent and less isolated.

7.9 Employers need to ensure that their employees are able to work in an environment in which they are not treated less favourably as a result of their sexual orientation, gender identity or religion, or a combination of these. Workplaces should be all-inclusive and LGBT issues should not be compromised in the name of cultural sensitivity or respect for religion.

7.10 More research should be done about the employment choices and experiences of Muslim, black, Asian and ethnic minority LBT women. More research also needs to be done on multiple discrimination at work and on possible conflicts between the protection regimes on various grounds of discrimination, particularly religion and sexual orientation.

7.11 The Government needs to be encouraged and pressured to provide for comprehensive, strong and equal legislation on discrimination in the workplace. Muslim LBT women could take part in this via unions and community groups. It is particularly important that the issue of multiple discrimination is covered in the new legislation and that attention is paid to possible conflicts between the protections against discrimination on the grounds of religion and those against discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.