Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation is a protected characteristic and can be the subject of direct discrimination and victimisation.
Sexual orientation means the attraction a person feels towards one sex or another (or both), which determines who they form intimate relationships with or are attracted to.
Some people are only attracted to those of the same sex (lesbian women and gay men). Some people are attracted to people of both sexes (bisexual people). Some people are only attracted to the opposite sex (heterosexual people).
Everyone who is bisexual, gay, lesbian or heterosexual is protected from being treated adversely because of sexual orientation.
However, those identifying as asexual, aromantic or pansexual are not currently protected under the Equality Act.
Since 2013 the University has been a diversity champion for Stonewall and submits annually to the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index that measures how LGBT+ inclusive an organisation is.