June marks Pride Month, the perfect opportunity to reflect on how far the recruitment industry has come in building inclusive workspaces. However, it’s important to acknowledge the challenges many LGBTQIA+ candidates still face during the recruitment process.
Amid growing political and cultural tensions in the UK, especially around transgender rights, the call for meaningful, inclusive hiring practices is louder and more urgent than ever.
While progress has been made across sectors in embracing LGBTQIA+ diversity, trans and non-binary candidates continue to face significant barriers throughout the recruitment process. And in the current climate, those barriers risk becoming even more entrenched.
The Backdrop: A Changing Legal and Social Landscape
In recent months, the UK government’s proposed review of the Equality Act 2010—specifically its interpretation of the term “sex”—has sparked widespread concern among trans advocacy groups, employers, and inclusion professionals. Critics fear that potential changes could weaken protections for trans people in the workplace and open the door to increased discrimination, whether intentional or not.
This legal uncertainty arrives against a backdrop of increasingly polarised public discourse around LGBTQIA+ rights, particularly for trans individuals. For recruitment professionals, this climate poses a crucial question: how can we maintain our commitment to inclusive hiring when public policy and opinion appear to be shifting?
The answer is clear. Organisations need to embed equity into every stage of the hiring process. This reaffirms that inclusion is not conditional on government guidance, but a core value that positively impacts business.
The Business Case—and the Moral One
It's no secret that diverse teams often outperform homogeneous ones. Inclusive recruitment is not just ethically right; it leads to better decision-making, stronger performance, and higher employee retention.
But beyond the business case lies the human one. Every candidate deserves a fair and respectful experience—one that recognises their identity, values their voice, and supports their wellbeing. For LGBTQIA+ candidates, particularly trans candidates, that’s not always the reality.
A 2024 survey by Crossland Employment Solicitors found that one in three UK employers admit they are less likely to hire a transgender person. This reveals not only bias, but also a troubling gap between legal protection and real-world practice. If recruiters don’t proactively address this, trans jobseekers may be excluded before they’ve had a fair chance to succeed.
As recruiters, we’re often the first point of contact in a candidate’s journey. That means we have both influence and accountability when it comes to shaping inclusive experiences.
Practical Steps to Improve LGBTQIA+ Inclusion in Hiring
So, what can the recruitment industry do right now to better support LGBTQIA+ talent?
1) Review Your Job Descriptions and Language
Ensure that job adverts use inclusive, gender-neutral language and avoid gender-coded terms. A simple tool like a gender decoder can help identify unconscious bias in your copy. Avoid assumptions about gender, family structure, or background, and be clear about your commitment to LGBTQIA+ inclusion—both in your words and your policies.
2) Build Inclusive Application Systems
Allow candidates to self-identify their gender, sexual orientation, and pronouns (if they wish to disclose), and include space for preferred names. Avoid asking unnecessary personal questions unless legally required and ensure your systems can handle diverse identities without forcing people to mislabel themselves. Voluntary self-ID should be accompanied by clear explanations of how data is used and protected.
3) Train Hiring Managers and Recruiters
Equip your teams with the knowledge and tools to conduct inclusive interviews, challenge bias, and understand the range of experiences LGBTQIA+ candidates may face in the workplace. This includes respectful use of pronouns, avoiding heteronormative or cisnormative assumptions, and building trust through empathy and allyship.
4) Audit Your Processes for Equity
Analyse your recruitment data to identify patterns of exclusion. Are LGBTQIA+ candidates progressing at the same rate as others? Are certain groups (e.g., bisexual, asexual, or trans candidates) disproportionately dropping out or being rejected? Use this insight to refine outreach, selection, and engagement strategies to ensure fair outcomes.
5) Create a Safe and Affirming Candidate Experience
Make sure every touchpoint of your recruitment process reflects a culture of belonging. Your careers page should clearly articulate your values, including anti-discrimination policies, LGBTQIA+ employee networks, and support for people going through life changes such as gender transition or coming out. During interviews, offer space for candidates to share their pronouns and create environments where they feel seen and respected.
Pride as a Starting Point—Not a Checkbox
It’s easy for Pride Month to become a box-ticking exercise: rainbow logos and celebratory posts with little substance. But true inclusion requires year-round
Let’s ensure that all LGBTQIA+ jobseekers see not just acceptance, but genuine opportunity and belonging. Because the reality is this: inclusive hiring still matters. In fact, it matters more than ever.