New research reveals – Diversity, inclusion: how tolerant is Austria?

A current study* provides insight into how tolerant Austrians view themselves and others, what level of respect there is in each other, whether and how discrimination takes place and how tolerant – but also intolerant – behavior towards the LGBTQIA+ community is expressed.

The main results of the research:

• Tolerance during self-assessment: Three-quarters rate their own tolerance in dealing with other people as somewhat or very high.
• Assessment of others’ tolerance: Less than a fifth consider their fellow human beings to be somewhat or very tolerant. More than a quarter even believe that the Austrian population has little or no tolerance.
• Sense of tolerance: Respondents believe that tolerance is especially important towards people with disabilities and the elderly.
• Equal rights: Two-thirds say they tolerate and accept all sexual orientations and gender identities. Six in ten people support equal rights.
• Become active yourself: Less than a fifth actively campaign against discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ community.

• Gender Identities: The “many different gender identities and sexual orientations” are confusing for more than half of respondents, and a fifth would like more information on the subject.
• Experiences with discrimination: Two-thirds of people in the LGBTQIA+ community have experienced discrimination themselves.
• Discrimination in the workplace is still present: more than a third of people who have a job and have already experienced discrimination have already experienced or observed discriminatory statements themselves.
• Coming out at work: Six in ten professionals from the LGBTQIA+ community have come out in their work environment; one in ten plans to do so.

*For the representative NIVEA UNLIMITED survey, a total of 2,580 people between the ages of 18 and 75 were interviewed across Austria in spring 2024.