History of LGBT in policing

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The presence of LGBTQ officers in law enforcement has a history of controversy. As times have changed, police forces have adapted by adding LGBTQ divisions, officers and committees within their ranks to account for legislation established by governments to protect individuals who previously had little or no voice when it came to laws impacting their own communities.

Contents

Diversity and inclusion in policing

Diversity in service and the elimination of discrimination across the planet is led by many individuals, staff, associations and others within the global police community.

Inclusivity, evolution, acceptance, intersectionality, organizational values and career advancement lead to proud cops and growing acceptance. [1]

Nevertheless, many LGBTQ individuals still face significant discrimination in the police force. In a 2013 study of British forces, Jones and Williams found that almost 20% of sexual minority officers said they experienced discrimination. At the same time, only 25% of those individuals reported the incident to a supervisor. [2]

The following is a timeline of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) police history.

1970s

1974

U.S.

1978

U.S.

1979

U.S.

1980s

1981

U.S.

"He gets up and says, 'I'm proud to be a New York City police officer,'" Humm said. "And then he says, 'I'm equally proud to be gay.' And the City Hall chamber, Council chamber almost fell out." [7]

1982

U.S.

1985

U.S.

1990s

1990

United Kingdom

1991

Canada

U.S.

1993

Canada

1995

U.S.

2000s

2001

France

2003

United Kingdom

2004

European Union

2009

Peru

2010s

2014

United Kingdom

2015

United Kingdom

United States

2016

Canada

"Police officers are significantly represented in the LGBTQ community and it would be unacceptable to alienate and discriminate against them and those who support them. They too struggled to gain a place and workplace free from discrimination and bias."

Chile

Netherlands

United States

2020s

2021

United Kingdom

Historical associations

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

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