|
Coming
Out At Work
Tips
The
Homosexual And The Work Place
|
Many
Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals people who are out to their families,
friends and neighbors but are still not out at work. Coming
out at work can be scary and with good reason!
In
most states it is still legal to fire an employee
simply because they are gay or lesbian. We have no Federal
Law to protect against employment discrimination in the
United States, so in many instances you can be fired just
for being gay, lesbian or bisexual.
Before
one comes out at work, consider the pros and cons.
|
Lisa
S. Lawless, Ph.D., CEO |
Pros
Of Coming Out At Work
~
You
no longer have to lie about what you did over the weekend and
who you did it with.
~
It
may end rude jokes or comments about gays and lesbians from co-workers.
~
You
may become closer to co-workers now that you are more open about
yourself.
~
The
stress of living a double life may go away.
~
Your
confidence and job performance could improve.
~
The
stress of having to hide a part of yourself may go away.
Cons
Of Coming Out At Your Job
~
You
may be fired.
~
Some
co-workers may treat you differently now that they know you are
gay.
~
Just
because you are out at work does not mean your co-workers will
treat your
partner as they do partners of straight co-workers.
Things
To Think About Before You
Come Out At Work
Before you come out at work make sure that you are ready. Once
you come out, you cannot go back in the closet. You should always
hope for the best, but you must be ready to receive negative reactions
from bosses or co-workers.
Assess the situation. If you work in a hostile or homophobic environment,
coming out is probably not going to make that go away. Are there
other gay or lesbian employees at your job? If so, try to connect
with them and see how different bosses and co-workers have reacted
to their coming out.
Find
out if your company has a nondiscrimination policy that includes
sexual orientation. If you think someone who has power over you
may react negatively, you may want to consider whether or not
coming out is the right decision.
A
Great Resource For Further Assistance-
The Human
Rights Campaign
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Resources
|
The
Holistic Wisdom Corporation