◆What is outing?
Outing refers to the act of another person revealing a secret related to sexuality (such as being gay, lesbian, bisexual, or having gender identity disorder) to those around them without the consent of the person concerned. For example, if a person who has been told by the person in question that he or she likes him or her tells a third party that he or she is homosexual, or if a person who has been consulted by the person in question says that he or she is actually a former man (or woman), it is outing without the consent of the person in question.
◆If you do outing
In The person who has been outed will suffer deeply. If the outing is done in the workplace, it can lead to not only resignation but also mental illness such as depression, harassment trials, and in the worst-case scenario, even death. In fact, there have been trials on the issue of outing, and the high court ruled that outing is “a serious violation of personal rights and the right to privacy, and an unacceptable act” (Hitotsubashi University outing case). There was also a report that a company apologized to its employees and paid a settlement for the damage caused by outing.
◆Measures are the duty of employers
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare’s Guidelines for the Prevention of Power Harassment also clearly states that outing, or revealing to other workers sensitive personal information such as a worker’s sexual orientation, gender identity, medical history, fertility treatment, etc., without the consent of the worker in question, constitutes power harassment. In other words, employers are obliged to take measures to prevent such harassment. Specific preventive measures include clarification, dissemination, and enlightenment of policies in the workplace, development of a consultation system, prompt and appropriate response to problems when they occur, and development of a system to protect privacy. Respecting diversity and building an environment where employees can work with peace of mind will lead to the development of your company.
