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Loading ...Study: Majority of workers hide sexual orientation, gender identity at work
09.22.2009 1:30pm EDT
(Washington, D.C.) A majority – 51 percent – of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender workers continue to hide their identity from most or all co-workers, according to a new report released today from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation that examines the real-life experiences of LGBT workers.
The report, “Degrees of Equality: A National Study Examining Workplace Climate for LGBT Employees,” found that, despite significant advances in employment policies at major U.S. corporations, a majority of LGBT workers continue to experience a range of negative consequences because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. Younger workers are even more likely to hide their LGBT identity – only 5 percent of LGBT employees ages 18 to 24 say they are totally open at work, compared to more than 20 percent in older age cohorts.The report is available for download at www.DegreesOfEquality.org.
“Overall attitudes towards LGBT people have come a long way, but we can’t forget that people still struggle at work and that this has a profound impact on LGBT workers’ careers,” said Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. “Degrees of Equality helps us bridge the gap between policy and practice to fully understand LGBT workers’ experiences. The more we understand the workplace, the more we can help usher it to a place where all employees can thrive.”
The study examined why workers chose to disclose their LGBT identity or not, how these issues arise in the workplace, the impact they have for businesses and what can be done to improve productivity and retention. In recent years, businesses have engaged in sustained efforts to implement policies aimed at creating safe and productive workplaces for talented LGBT employees. The number of companies that receive top ratings on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation Corporate Equality Index, for example, rose from just 13 in 2002 to 305 in the 2010 report released last week.
Nevertheless, significant numbers of LGBT employees continue to experience a negative workplace climate that affects productivity, retention and professional relationships. At least once in the past year, 42 percent of LGBT employees report lying about their personal lives, 27 percent have felt distracted, 21 percent have job searched and 13 percent have stayed home from work as a result of working in an environment that is not always accepting of LGBT people.
As reasons for hiding their identities, 39 percent fear losing connections, 28 percent fear not being considered for advancement, 17 percent fear getting fired and more than one in ten (13 percent) fear for their personal safety. Transgender workers are much more likely than other groups to report fearing for their personal safety – 40 percent compared to 20 percent of gay men.
And 42 percent of transgender workers feared getting fired if they revealed their LGBT identity, compared to 22 percent of gay men.
An employee’s sexual orientation or gender identity are often unavoidable in casual, non-work related conversations. These conversations occur frequently and are an essential component to building productive work relationships.
At least once per week, 89 percent of LGBT employees say conversations about social lives, 80 percent confront conversations involving spouses, relationships and dating at least once per week and 50 percent say the topic of sex arises at least once a week. These conversations are the most likely to make LGBT employees feel uncomfortable: fewer than half feel very comfortable talking about any of these topics.
Derogatory comments and jokes still happen at work and are a major indicator that it is unsafe to be open about their sexual orientation and/or gender identity at work. A total of 58 percent of LGBT workers say someone at work makes a joke or derogatory comment about LGBT people at least once in a while.
Similarly, jokes and derogatory comments about other minority groups are equally indicative of a negative climate. About two-thirds (62 percent) of LGBT employees say negative comments about minority groups are made at least once in a while at work.
Even with inclusive employment policies, significant numbers of employees report negative consequences of an unwelcoming environment for LGBT employees. Moreover, the vast majority of LGBT workers do not report instances when they hear an anti-LGBT remark to HR or management. On average, 67 percent ignore it or let it go, 9 percent raise the issue with a supervisor and only 5 percent go to HR.
“We’ve found that inclusive non-discrimination policies and equal benefits are the essential first step toward cultivating a productive and engaged LGBT employee, but they are not the last step,” said Daryl Herrschaft, director of the Workplace Project. “By understanding how LGBT identity surfaces and unfolds in the workplace, we will be better able to turn policy into practice and address opportunities to improve productivity and retention of LGBT employees.”
The study is the cornerstone of a new project that will provide employers with a climate assessment tool and toolkits for improving their workplaces.
The HRC Foundation conducted 14 focus groups to examine current LGBT workplace experiences and identify key elements of workplace climate. Since there is no uniform LGBT experience, the diversity of the working LGBT community was accounted for by conducting focus groups around race, ethnicity and gender, among other sub-groupings. In addition, the HRC Foundation commissioned the largest national survey of LGBT workplace experiences to date, administered to 761 LGBT workers from across the country. Finally, in-depth interviews supplemented the research.
I work at a pretty major professional business company in Connecticut that is quite socially moderate. However, when you’re as a 20 something gay male who is friendly, approachable, very good looking, and naturally comes off as a straight guy everybody asks you about your dating life.
I’ve only been at this company for less then a year and I’ve had a handful of guys ask me who I was fucking, (older) managers ask me if I had kids, and a female co-worker pursue me until I told her that I was gay. My personality prevents me from hiding my sexuality because I’m an open person at heart. However, there are people at my job who are those on the fence in the closet people who never (ever) talking about their personal lives even if you asked them about to their faces.
The results of being openly gay at work
1) You have many female friends who are very accepting of your sexuality
2) Many Straight guys who talk to you less(less tolerance) after they find out you have a bf you are fucking.
3.)Black males are not fans of the gays
4.) You’re openly gay coworkers (very few of them like less then 1.5% of the place look up to you very much
Most important
5. Who gives a F*** if anyone talks to me less because I’m gay. I’ve experienced this numerous times.
Thank Goodness that I work in Ca and Long Beach. I work on a ship called the QUEEN MARY. How could I not be out at work? I realize that I am lucky.
But then being out in the hotel biz has always been easy. I am 100 % out to coworkers but cautious with the guest so I do feel a little of the isolation sometimes.
I agree with most comments on normal conversation. How hard it would be not to talk about my spouse or our adopted son.
Tom in Long Beach
I didn’t initially come out to my co-workers, but after a few weeks I did spill the beans. I mostly told those that I had normal conversation with, and only revealed it to others in the rare event that it was relevant. Heh, word spreads fast in an office!
At first I was really worried about people finding out, but afterwards everything seemed to be fine. If asked what I did over the weekend, I’ll say (and I do tell them) that I went to a gay bar. People will react to how you feel about these things (if you’re uncomfortable talking about it, then they’ll feel uncomfortable too!).
The lesson I learned from this is: it’s mostly just in your head. It will make you a better, more productive, more valuable employee to be honest with those around you. You have to make sure that everyone knows you for who you truly are, and your sexuality in all reality is just a small part of that.
I used to be one of these people myself. Granted, I am not the type of person who would introduce myself—followed my verbal declaration of my sexual orientation. I think professionalism vs personal life must always be maintained separate in the workplace. However, I am not one to deny or shame myself if I was asked if I am Gay—due to certain factors–whether it be mannerisms, friends, or my HUGE rainbow flag car magnet on my sports car. Knowing the difference between Pride and flamboyancy can be a very meaningful thing—-and a very strategical way of maintaining transparency in your job.
My philosophy is “don’t offer,but don’t deny” In most situations being out at work has never actually come up. In one of my most recent jobs I informed my immediate supervisor that I was in fact Gay in a preemptive move to keep him from saying something he might have regretted after knowing. This worked out, but I generally don’t offer up this information, while at the same time I am out in a public way on the internet. The trick there is most people are not interacting with me on a first & last name basis, so it’s unlikely that they’d look me up online. It’s very easy not to talk about myself at all, so maybe I am anti-social in person anyway. And lastly, I would never actually lie in the workplace, I’d more likely say something like, “That’s none of your business” It may come off as an admission without actually saying, “Well no I don’t have a girlfriend because I’m gay.” I have said “I haven’t a girlfriend since the 8th grade.” it stops the conversation dead. As a guy I can attest to the fact that other guys very often talk about their conquests and girlfriends. You really don’t have to share, you just listen. I’m still amazed at how many people I’ve worked with simply just don’t know any gay folk, because they don’t exist in their own social circles. Being out at work might change that, but do I really want to be asked the dumb questions like “So which one is the man and which one is the woman?” even if I’m not directly harassed or ostracized?
Actually, the headline should read: Majority of LGBT Workers Hide Their Sexual Orientation at Work. Heterosexuals actually flaunt their sexual orientation with pictures of family on their desks, talking about weekend activities, bringing dates to staff parties and social events and in some places, uggh! even engaging in inappropriate talk about their sex lives. Sadly, even in places where LGBT employees enjoy the same benefits as their heterosexual coworkers, it is still expected that LGBT employees keep their sexual orientation and personal lives a secret– and secrecy or lying are not good for a healthy workplace.
Michael, there is a huge difference between “publicizing ones’s personal life” and hiding it. I don’t know where you work but in every office I’ve occupied for the past thirty years, children, marital status, what you did over the weekend, are normal topics of conversation amongst co-workers. As long as I felt the need to censor myself (and I did for a very long time, even though I had co-workers who were completely out in the workplace), I felt some sense of isolation; I did not really feel part of the organization. I never out-and-out lied as to who I was, I simply refrained from discussing it. Then my partner became seriously ill and I realized there was simply no point in pretending that nothing was happening in my life other than between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
I can understand the need to protect oneself in an unsafe environment. The point there however is that ultimately being closeted requires energy that could otherwise be used to be productive on the job. It is a form of lying by omission and it takes a toll.
I was not out at work, because I was on a temporary work visa, in a state that regarded same-sex sex as a felony (at the time) and the VP that was brought in after I was hired made a big deal that we should all be “straight” whatever that means. By coming out, I would have put my job, my relationship, my home, and my partner at risk. This is why it is important not just to pass ENDA, but also UAFA.
Hahaha, hide your gender identity at work?!? That really made me laugh. Could you imagine trying to get a job and not letting anyone know if you are a man, woman, or something else. Hell, it’s on most employment forms that you have to fill out.
I think what they’re trying to say is that people hide their trans status. Everyone at my work knows I’m a woman, but I don’t believe that anyone knows that I’m trans. I hide my trans status, I don’t hide my gender identity.
“Why is it important to publicize your personal life at work?” How many straight, married people never talk about their spouses, personal lives, or children to the extent you don’t even know if they’re married or have children? I’d guess close to none. It’s important because it’s who you are and when you hide that you greatly diminish your power and your life. Notice the celebrities who have come out and what a difference they’ve said it’s made in their lives. They’re whole people now wherever they go, not cut up into segments, not scared of exposure. It takes a ton of energy to hide who you are. Also, most people who know me do not vote against gay marriage because they understand it’s a personal vote against me. By hiding, I buy into the myth that there’s something shameful about it.
To straight people who want me to stay in the closet–I say I won’t talk about my partner if you don’t talk about your wife, children, vacations you take with them, etc.
What does being out matter at work? Why isn’t it important? It’s the same problem with DADT. Putting so much energy into hiding who you are so you don’t have trouble is mentally, emotionally, and physically draining, and it prevents you from forming friendships with those you work with. Nothing’s worse than being isolated simply because you can’t be honest about yourself. I’m so glad that where I work (as a student staffer at the library here on my college campus) there’s no problems with my orientation. Everybody, even my bosses, know, and there’s no problem. It’s a really relaxed and friendly environment though, and it’s horrible that there are still places where people can’t feel comfortable being themselves in their work place. When I go out and get a real job I hope I don’t have to choose between being myself and being employed, because I’d sooner starve than deny who I am to make other people comfortable.
Michael, it isn’t a matter of publicizing, it’s a matter of social interaction. There are times in the day, even at the most strict companies, in which you must interact with others. Questions come up like, “Are you married”, “Do you have any children”, “Are you seeing someone” and all are just a matter of common small talk. Refusing to answer makes you a “cold fish” and “unsociable” while answering truthfully has at one point even gotten me accused of sexual harassment(which was determined to be ungrounded by management but still was a mark on my record). I don’t make it a point to tell everyone everything but I do not hide my orientation.
I came out at work in 1977 and have been out at every job since. The first thing I do is put up a photo of my partner and I. After a march on Washington, I wrote an article in the company paper that was published across all 14 states to 50,000 employees. I’ve worked in professional environments. I know many do not. I understand discrimination still exists—but a good percentage of it is in the minds of the people who do not come out: internalized homophobia. I’m sure there are many in my company who are not out, yet this is a fantastic environment for gays. This is so very sad. By not coming out when there is no real threat there, we are buying into the shame and admitting defeat before fighting. We are giving up on who we are, our very core humanity. In 1977, it was a co-worker who outed me–but I walked into the supervisor’s office and said, “This is the way it is. Is this a problem?” She said, “Of course not.”
It takes a little courage! Being alive and who you are is worth it.
Why is it important to publicize your personal life at work? What does it have to do with the work you do. Many entertainers and other celvbrities chose to not come out.
As an employee of a long-standing HRC 100% EOC Company, I have been sharing for years with HRC that the policies are not being upheld – but of course, inaction was their response. There is no value in giving a company a 100% rating if they do not uphold the policies in place!