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Diverse matters

A new report highlights the experience of LGBTQ+ musicians in the UK’s orchestral landscape, revealing that discrimination is still all too common in such environments

By Peter Somerford

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A performance by Her Ensemble, the UK’s first orchestra centring on women and gender-diverse musicians

TOM LOVATT

The latest report from the first ever UK Musicians’ Census reveals significant issues facing LGBTQ+ musicians around discrimination, sexual harassment and mental and physical wellbeing. The LGBTQ+Musicians Insight Report (bit.ly/4bO1xCu) was produced by the Musicians’ Union (MU) and the charities Help Musicians and Come Play with Me. It draws on data from the Musicians’ Census 2023, which surveyed nearly 5,900 musicians, 1,090 of whom are from LGBTQ+ communities. Over a third of these LGBTQ+ respondents (37 per cent) had experienced or witnessed discrimination based on their sexuality while working as a musician, yet only 27 per cent reported it. Over half of trans respondents had experienced discrimination based on their gender identity, and almost half of all LGBTQ+ respondents (44 per cent) had experienced or witnessed sexual harassment.

The report also identifies high levels of poor mental and physical wellbeing among LGBTQ+ musicians, with 43 per cent reporting poor mental wellbeing compared with 30 per cent of musicians in the overall Census sample who reported experiencing the same. John Shortell, the MU’s head of equality, diversity and inclusion, is particularly concerned by this finding, which he says reflects both the insecurities of freelance employment and also LGBTQ+ musicians’ experience of discrimination and feeling that they can’t always be open about their sexuality or gender identity with the people they work with. ‘We already know from wider society that hiding part of your identity has a massive impact on your mental health,’ Shortell says. ‘People feeling they can’t be themselves at work, or suffering high levels of discrimination, only adds to the impact that the employment and financial insecurities of being a freelance musician can have on mental wellbeing.’ While the majority of LGBTQ+ musicians surveyed reported that they are open about their sexuality with at least some of the people they work with, 16 per cent did not feel able to be open with anyone they work with.