446: "I lived a double life" - the battle faced by many LGBTQ+ farmers

Pushing for better diversity and inclusion is important in every industry.

A 2018 report from the charity Stonewall found that, due to their sexuality, 18% of the UK’s LGBTQ+ workers had been negatively targeted by colleagues.

And the agricultural industry is no different. In fact, it can come with a whole lot of its own specific challenges.

Farming can be a lonely, high-pressure business. The UK Office for National Statistics says suicide rates in farmers are among the highest in any occupational group.

Every year, 50 gay farmers take their own lives, with the fear of coming out as one of the main reasons.

This simply cannot continue.

And there are great potential benefits to making our agricultural sector more diverse.

So, through the lens of LGBTQ+ farmers, in this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, we explore diversity in agriculture.

Relevant resources:

The Samaritans

The Gay Farmer Helpline

Agrespect - the rural LGBTQ+ network

Guest:
Amie Burke, Inclusivity Programme Manager, IGD