Nov

19

Are You Out at Work?

Filed Under Careers 

Genia: I have been out at every job I’ve had since I came out, except the military. No, I don’t announce “Hey, I’m a lesbo” at job interviews, but I don’t play the gender change game either. I’m self-employed now and everyone I do projects with know I’m gay. When I was in cubicle land, I always had a picture of my kids, my pets and my significant other on my desk. The straight folks did it, so I saw nothing wrong with me doing it.

Andrea: I am out to all of my co-workers as well as my boss and have never had problems being out at work. I am a teacher, and have not come out to the parents although it is something I don’t hide either. I know many teachers that struggle with coming out at school especially at the high school level. I work with very young children so it is not as relevant for me to be out to the students. I wouldn’t share personal information with them even if I was straight.

Comments

5 Responses to “Are You Out at Work?”

  1. Jeff on November 19th, 2009 11:17 am

    I am out at work. This is the first job I’ve had since I came out and decided that I lived way too much of my life in the closet. Most people here are accepting. I had one grossly unpleasant encounter with my own secretary who started preaching to me and telling me that I would end up in the “eternal fire of hell” for “choosing to be gay.” That was difficult.

    I work for a university and will say that I don’t see many gay staff members getting promotions despite a university policy that strictly prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender expression. The faculty are union and fall under different rules. However, few LGBT staff members here ever get promoted. My dean has supported me on three occasions for promotion, but they were denied by the provost and/or president. My counter-parts in other areas of the university (all straight females) have received at least one promotion in the last three years.

    Still, I don’t regret being out at work. It is liberating to live my life as freely as others live theirs. If I don’t receive advancement opportunities in my job here, it just means I need to decide what comes next professionally.

  2. Chris on November 19th, 2009 12:02 pm

    I’m out everywhere, accept to my teenage daughters’ friends. I decided when I came out that was my choice. I have no intentions of outting her. She’s 14 and kids can be very cruel. I’m fortunate in that I am very femme, so nobody questions me. My partner however, doesn’t go to her school events, as she has lesbo written all over her. We’ve told my daughter, in highschool, nobody will care if her mom is gay, it will actually be cool. However, it’s her choice to tell friends, not ours.

  3. Kut on November 19th, 2009 12:15 pm

    I work and go to school at a technology center in Oklahoma. I am out to very few people, only classmates who are either gay themselves, or friends of other gays.

    I’ve had discussions about gay marriages with others and their reactions and comments make me want to never come out to them for fear of being hated or considered disgusting.

    Moving would be super, but I am enjoying working there and attending classes. I don’t plan to stay here more than needed (my entire family has relocated to here). I hope to carry on with my life and have them carry on with theirs, knowing or not knowing about my sexual preferences.

  4. Genia on November 19th, 2009 5:00 pm

    It can be difficult for a lot of people to be out at work, especially in areas of the country where that sort of thing can hurt your career.

    Awhile back, I interviewed for a TV station in Rockford, IL. I had several interviews and I was fairly certain I had the job. I left off all my LGBT-related work experience, but the subject came up in that final make-or-break interview. I could tell by the way the conversation changed that I wouldn’t get the job. I don’t care that I didn’t get it because I wouldn’t want to work for people like that anyway.

    That experience taught me that I have to be true to who I am – from beginning to end. No hiding work experience just because it’s related to the gay market. Someone who’s looking for a great team member who can do the job won’t care WHERE my experience came from.

  5. Helena Brown on November 22nd, 2009 7:38 pm

    I am out at work and I am out every where Unless it is a situation that I feel unsafe..I never Hide!

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