Introducing our new asexual fact sheet

Today, the Bi+ Inclusion Team is proud to launch our asexuality factsheet asexuality fact sheet.

How can I use the fact sheet?

The factsheet is designed to raise awareness of asexuality and the experiences of asexual people. You can help by distributing it with your colleagues and networks. You may like to:

• send it to your team or directorate, including a link to this blog
• create space to discuss the factsheet at a team-meeting, away-day or in other relevant meetings
• use it as an opportunity to engage with your HR Diversity and Inclusion Team, LGBT+ staff network, or senior LGBT+ Champion on how to create an inclusive work environment
• print out some copies of the factsheet to leave in the communal areas of your workplace

Why do we need a factsheet?

Respondents to our 2017 consultation who identify as asexual said that they often find themselves in a position where they are perceived as a source of knowledge on LGBT+ issues amongst their colleagues. Whilst an environment of open questions and peer-to-peer learning is a positive one, this put considerable strain on those individuals who may not have the information themselves, may not feel comfortable answering personal questions, and who are also trying to do their day job. They said this sense of strain was sometimes exacerbated by a well-intentioned desire to role model and do things for others.

To support civil servants in these situations, we committed to developing a series of factsheets covering minority sexual orientations and identities. These are intended to be shared by networks and HR functions in order to raise awareness of the full range of LGBT+ identities in the general workforce. They can also be used as a source of information which LGBT+ people can share with their colleagues in order to avoid answering all the questions themselves.

The bi-inclusion volunteer team

After consulting colleagues across government to better understand the experiences of bisexual, pansexual, asexual and queer civil servants, we published our strategic approach to improving the experiences of this group.

Since then, we’ve created a bi+ inclusion volunteer team to take forward this work, launched BiSpace, run monthly bi socials and bi-inclusive LGBT socials across the country, and established a regular bi+ inclusion newsletter. Sign up to get the newsletter by ticking ‘Bisexual people’ on the Civil Service LGBT+ Network membership page.