Intersectionality in LGBTQ+ Lived Experiences

Brandon Bell, Talent and Culture Lead, Syngenta 

Tyler Young, Talent & Culture Specialist, Syngenta 

The agricultural workforce is undergoing a demographic transformation, but data shows persistent gaps in people leaders’ understanding of how to cultivate spaces where LGBTQ+ professionals can safely and confidently navigate their careers while holding multiple underrepresented identities. While agriculture has its own unique challenges, in part due to the lack of substantial research into diverse experiences, this dearth in understanding is not unique to the sector.  

The key to deepening this understanding is Intersectionality: the framework coined by legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989, describing how various dimensions of identity (race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status, etc.) overlap to create distinct experiences of privilege and discrimination. As companies both within and beyond agriculture invest in Inclusion and Belonging initiatives, examining the experiences of employees through a lens of intersectionality becomes essential for creating genuinely inclusive workplaces. 

The Intersectional Landscape in Agriculture 

Diverse representation for LGBTQ+ communities continues to be scarce in agriculture as an industry. While this scarcity makes it difficult to look at specific intersectional experiences in ag, broader workforce data helps us paint a fuller picture. A study by the Movement Advance Project (MAP) reports that 2.9-3.8 million (or between 3% and 5%) of adults in rural America identify as LGBTQ+. When examining intersectional identities, the already difficult to quantify numbers become more obscure in some ways, and more evidently challenging in others. MAP found that 82% of LGBTQ+ people of color in rural agricultural communities report lacking access to affirming healthcare, legal services, or social support networks. 

Multiple Dimensions—Compounded Barriers 

Research demonstrates that LGBTQ+ employees of color in agriculture face distinct challenges that differ from both their white LGBTQ+ peers and their heterosexual colleagues of color. A 2024 study published by the Williams Institute found that LGBTQ+ people of color in the workplace were twice as likely to experience discrimination (15% vs 7%) and harassment (16% vs. 9%) compared to their White LGBTQ+ colleagues. The study defines workplace harassment experiences as including being fired, not hired, not promoted, or being verbally, physically, or sexually harassed. 

The intersection of race and sexual orientation also affects workplace experiences differently across racial groups. Another Williams Institute study found that, while Black, Asian, and Latino LGBTQ employees may have broadly similar levels of adverse workplace experiences, there were still differences, including Black participants reporting less annual income on average than the other groups, Latino participants reporting hearing more negative comments about sexuality, and Asian participants reporting less comfort on average with being open about their identity in the workplace. These variations suggest that intersectional experiences cannot be understood through additive models alone—the specific combination of identities creates unique workplace dynamics. 

Approximately 30% of LGBTQ+ adults have a disability—notably higher than the 20% disability rate in the general population. 51% of LGBTQ+ adults reported experiencing some form of discrimination, nearly double that of able-bodied LGBTQ+ adults (23%) and non-LGBTQ+ identifying adults with disabilities (26%). Additionally, LGBTQ+ people with disabilities reported higher rates of discrimination in the workplace (30%) than their able-bodied LGBTQ+ peers (19%). These experiences of workplace and employment disparities are seen as a primary factor in other disparities, such as economic: 33% of LGBTQ+ adults with disabilities reported a household income of less than $30,000 per year, compared with only 15% of able-bodied LGBTQ+ adults. 

Socioeconomic Class: The Overlooked Dimension 

Socioeconomic background significantly shapes LGBTQ+ experiences in agriculture, yet remains underexamined in diversity research. Surveys have found that 28% of LGBTQ+ adults grew up in poverty, compared to 19% of heterosexual adults. For LGBTQ+ people of color, this rate increases to 37%. 

There are many shared economic challenges across LGBTQ+ communities that are exacerbated by different intersections of identity. Some of the commonalities reported are lower educational attainment, low wage jobs, psychological stress, parenting challenges, multiple forms of structural and interpersonal oppression (homophobia, transphobia, racism, xenophobia, sexism), and systemic barriers to obtain support for the previous obstacles.  

Moving Toward Intersectional Solutions 

Understanding these intersectional experiences requires moving beyond single-dimension diversity metrics toward comprehensive data collection, targeted interventions, and systemic policy changes. Companies, both within and beyond agriculture, that are truly committed to genuine inclusion must examine how their practices affect LGBTQ+ employees across multiple identity dimensions—recognizing that effective support for a white gay man may differ substantially from what a Black transgender woman or a bisexual Latina with disabilities needs to thrive. 

The data is clear: intersectionality isn't theoretical—it's the lived reality of LGBTQ+ professionals navigating agriculture careers. Organizations that acknowledge and address these complex, overlapping experiences will build more equitable, innovative, and sustainable agricultural futures.