Organizing Sexualities, Organized Inequalities: Lesbians and Gay Men in Public Service Occupations

Abstract

This article examines the experiences of lesbians and gay men who are employed in a variety of public service occupations in the UK, drawing upon interview material gathered during a broader research project on lesbian and gay self-organization within the public sector trade union UNISON. It forges pathways through hitherto unexplored territories by concentrating upon career trajectories beyond the closet, arguing that those who dare to come out and proud in public sector workplaces will tread a precarious tightrope between being out and pursued for their specialist knowledges and out and persecuted for their presumed perversities. Although many public sector employers have endorsed equal opportunities policies which include lesbians and gay men, and although these have been vital in alleviating some forms of discrimination, it is argued that such measures have been incapable of resolving the more profound double-binds etched into our organizations, whereby sexualities are reproduced as inequalities, while sexuality itself is eclipsed from the organization's self-consciousness. It is claimed that in virtue of their unique positions and perspectives, lesbian and gay employees have become the carriers of the sexual consciousness of their organizations. However, it is also acknowledged that the political agenda on lesbian and gay rights will not remedy deeper ignorances and broader injustices, unless the heterosexual majority and other nonheterosexual minorities are also parties to these debates. LESBIANS AND GAYS IN PUBLIC SERVICE OCCUPATIONS 135All of which suggests that we need to explore the precarious trajectories in coming outand staying out -in more depth.

The Sound of Silence. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Discrimination in ‘Inclusive Organizations’

“…The demarcation between one's sexual identity and her/his work and professional identity, and the subsequent denial of one to the other, has been assimilated to inhabiting two worlds (Humphrey, 1999). Some LGBTs, in fact, create a façade of conformity with colleagues and managers often constructing a heterosexual partner and a heterosexual life (Özbilgin & Woodward, 2003;Ward & Winstanley, 2003), suppressing the sense of who they are.…”

Working Class Masculinity: Keeping Gay Men and Lesbians out of the Workplace

“…Researchers (Humphrey 1999;Schneider 1986) have also found that many homosexuals are fired when their sexual orientation is discovered. In terms of the hiring process, homosexuality, at least initially, may not play as a large factor as actual on the job training or work (Benokraitis and Feagin 1995;Levitt and Klassen 1974).…”

“…Bernstein and Kostelac (2002), who studied police officers, found that one-fourth of their sample "felt that recruiting homosexual officers undermines department morale" (p. 316). Furthermore, studies have suggested that many lesbians and gay men anticipate discrimination, however, a smaller percentage of gay men and lesbians actually experience discrimination in their workplace (Bell and Weinberg 1978;Humphrey 1999;Levine and Leonard 1984;Saghir and Robins 1973;Schneider 1986;Taylor and Raeburn 1995). Other researchers noted that, in some cases, gay men and lesbians must pass as heterosexuals in order to gain access to the job market (Badgett et al 1992).…”

Public Duty and Private Prejudice: Sexualities Equalities and Local Government

“…LGBT equalities work was framed as part of professional norms and duties, an ethic of public service and care that is typically associated with public sector organizations (Humphrey 1999), regardless of a person's private beliefs. Related to this it was also, in part, about the management of prejudice through privatising it.…”