Overcoming Discrimination and Navigating LGBTQ+ Identity in University and Beyond

Tommy Gough, Associate in Kroll’s Forensic Investigations and Intelligence team, spoke to myGwork about his experience of identifying as LGBTQ+ in university, and the connection between coming out in education and the workplace. He also shares advice and top tips for LGBTQ+ students making the often-intimidating journey into the professional world.

Please introduce yourself, the name of your organisation and the university you attended.

Hi! My name is Tommy Gough, and I have been working as an Associate in Kroll’s Forensic Investigations and Intelligence team since July 2022. I studied Modern Languages at Durham University for my bachelor’s degree then completed a master’s in Chinese Studies at the University of Oxford.

When in university, were you out to your university friends and/or your teachers? If yes, how important was that for you?

Yes. I came out towards the end of high school and chose to be open about my sexuality at university, both at Durham and at Oxford. It was a personal decision to come out in school and a lot of LGBTQ+ people I know came out in their 20s. However, arriving at university already out strengthened me with the confidence of knowing my true self, and as a result, freed me from the pressure to mask myself. Not everyone who is out will have had the same experience that I did during their university years, but I was fortunate to join a (mostly) welcoming environment where the majority of the student population were tolerant. It was especially important for me to feel comfortable with my sexuality in front of my professors, as I spent most of my time studying queer experiences: film, literature, politics, history, sociology – everything! Consequently, it was vital that my teachers understood what had drawn me to my research focus and could respect my decision to study these topics. Had I been less open about my identity before my teachers, I would have found it more challenging to openly explore the subjects I was interested in.

Have you ever experienced discrimination from your fellow students and/or teachers?

Yes, and unfortunately, this is more common than people outside the LGBTQ+ community realise. While I have never been discriminated against by a member of any faculty at university, I have been the recipient of prejudiced and homophobic comments made by students on more than one occasion. During my undergraduate years, there were, sadly, several bigoted and hostile students. Fortunately, at the time of my master’s degree, I was at a postgraduate college where most of the intake were liberal and mature enough to be accepting of others and open-minded towards what they did not understand.

Do you feel your university supported LGBTQ+ students?