Straight Allies

4
Being gay in the workplace
Many lesbian, gay and bisexual people still have negative experiences
because of their sexual orientation and feel unable to be out at
work. Stonewall research shows that in 2011 two in five gay people
still do not feel able to be out to their managers, and three in four
do not feel able to be out with clients or suppliers (Workplace
Equality Index, 2011). Research has also shown that this often has an
impact on their performance at work (Peak Performance, 2008).
Every lesbian, gay or bisexual person has to make a conscious
decision about whether they will be open about their sexual
orientation at work. However, it’s not simply a case of coming out
once. Gay people have to decide to come out every time they meet
new colleagues, clients, suppliers or stakeholders. In some instances
gay people who have come out at work have been ostracised or
harassed by their colleagues. Bullying and harassment of lesbian,
gay and bisexual colleagues is still common, with one in seven
heterosexuals in the national workforce saying they’ve witnessed
homophobic bullying of colleagues at work (Living Together, 2007).
Lesbian, gay and bisexual people who do not feel able to be out
at work often expend significant amounts of energy on avoiding
being outed, energy that could be spent on performing more
effectively in their job. Many feel they need to avoid forming close
relationships with colleagues, avoiding anything that may reveal
aspects of their personal life at work and telling lies about their life
simply to avoid being outed.
This can have an obvious effect on performance. They feel less
confident, less motivated, unable to put everything into their job
and unable to use their personal experiences to develop creative
solutions at work. Not being able to engage with others honestly
about who they are has an effect on their relationships with
colleagues, managers, clients and stakeholders. They can often be
seen as untrustworthy, unfriendly or an unwilling ‘team player’.
The decision to come out is made easier however if gay people
believe their managers, colleagues and clients will support them.
This can be clearly demonstrated by colleagues making a visible
effort to make the workplace more gay-friendly.