Sexual identity management of working lesbian women

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to provide a closer look at being out in the work environment. What are the characteristics that distinguish lesbian women who are out at work from those who are not? What role do companies play with their diversity-related measures? Design/methodology/approach This paper investigates characteristics that distinguish lesbian women who were out at work and analyzes the use of various sexual identity management strategies in relation to specific reference groups within a company. Furthermore, the method of multiple correspondence analysis is used to visually map the associations between company-specific characteristics and being out. Findings Results show that being out in the work environment is subject to a complex interplay of several factors, from personal resources to the diversity-friendliness of the company. A company’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersexual (LGBTI)-related measures, such as in-house LGBTI networks or diversity workshops, can not only promote the coming out of lesbian employees, and thereby help to increase their overall satisfaction with life, but can also reduce their experiences of discrimination. Originality/value In this paper, the method of multiple correspondence analysis is used to examine the relationships between several diversity-related measures of the company and being out at the workplace. A visualization of these relationships in a two-dimensional space allows a more comprehensive view of these features and their possible effect on being out at the workplace.

Preprint of Cobb and Brummel (2024) Book Chapter

“…The broader notion of personal life as private begs the question of how much an organization can encroach upon that boundary. The need for privacy may be due to individual differences and preferences, but it may also be due to their need to hide a stigmatized identity and avoid discrimination (Khachatryan et al, 2022). For others, a chronic health condition may require the treatment of a stigmatized drug, such as marijuana (e.g., Reinarman et al, 2011), and organizations may take away religious freedoms, including indigenous workers' drug usage for spiritual reasons (e.g., Farris & Lorence, 1995).…”

Editorial: The future of work and becoming an employer of choice

“…Changing demographics requires organizations to be strategically flexible. The authors use the method of multiple correspondence analysis to "examine the relationships between several diversity-related measures of the company and being out at the workplace" (Khachatryan et al, 2022). The authors explain that diversity and inclusion measures contribute to employee well-being and are seen in the higher life satisfaction of "out" women and are, at the very least evident in their work performance.…”