LGBT people in science

There are traditions and expectations that LGBT people should not study or have careers in science, according to Manil Suri.[1] In 2016 the American Physical Society published a list of ways in which LGBT physicists have a more difficult career experience than their non-LGBT counterparts.[2]

Studies have shown that many LGBT faculty and researchers are not out in their departments, and coming out may negatively affect retention.[3] This is of particular issue in the STEM field as the work cultures and professional environments within this field of work can often exclude or alienate the existence of the LGBT community and the individuals within it.[4][5][6][7]

Chemist David Smith speculated that the visibility of more LGBT role models in science would make it easier for other LGBT students to join the sciences, and conducted a survey which seemed to support this view.[8]

Mathematician, computer scientist, logician, cryptanalyst, philosopher, and theoretical biologist Alan Turing, was a prominent queer English scholar during the twentieth century that led a group of cryptanalysts in cracking the code of the Enigma Machine, ultimately helped turning the tide of World War II. Despite his service to the Allied cause, he was prosecuted in 1952 for homosexual acts and had most of his academic work covered up through the Official Secrets Act. [9]

A report on a 2015 survey of United States undergraduate students found that gay students of science were more likely to change their major to a subject outside of science than non-LGBT students.[10] Some academic commentators who study LGBT issues commented that LGBT students face social barriers to studying science which non-LGBT people do not experience.[11] Various activist organizations used this study as supporting evidence that social changes could bring equal opportunity for LGBT people to study and have careers in science.[12]

In recognition that LGBT people are underrepresented in the sciences, various universities have programs to encourage more LGBT students to join their science programs.[13] The organization is oSTEM (Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) has a network of about 90 student chapters at universities across the United States.[14] oSTEM has an annual conference and aims to provide a place for LGBT science students to gather, whether they are out or not.[15] Other professional organizations for LGBT people in science include the National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals (NOGLSTP)[16] and Pride in STEM.[17] NOGLSTP educates professional communities about LGBT issues and offers two scholarships annually.[16] Pride in STEM, a charitable organization based in the United Kingdom, co-founded the International Day of LGBTQ+ People in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.[17] In Germany, a similar movement was founded under the name LGBTQ STEM Berlin.[18]

NASA employees annually holds Gay Pride parade events.[19]

• Category:LGBT scientists[3]
• 500 Queer Scientists

• Welton, Tom (14 February 2014). "Gay prejudice? It's not easy admitting you're … a scientist". the Guardian.
• Barres, Ben; Montague-Hellen, Beth; Yoder, Jeremy (4 April 2017). "Coming out: the experience of LGBT+ people in STEM". Genome Biology. 18 (1): 62. doi:10.1186/s13059-017-1198-y. PMC 5379691. PMID 28372568.
• Scarpelli, Andrew (19 October 2017). "How I realized that LGBT+ scientists like me can inspire others in their field". Massive.

• National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals
• 500 Queer Scientists Campaign
• Out in STEM Conference
• Pride in STEM
• LGBTQ STEM Berlin Twitter account