Silence in the sexual agenda of a UK probation service

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to interrogate ways in which sex and sexual orientation are excluded from the agenda of work relationships in one probation service.Design/methodology/approachThe research was conducted through conversational interviews with members of a team responsible both for supervision of colleagues and for development of supervisory practice. Straight and lesbian officers responded to a perceived lack of skills to effectively “work with” sexuality issues.FindingsResponses lead to discussion of the discursive “silence” of sex, and to the specific positioning of lesbian identity. Specifically, it critiques approaches to supervision that do not explicitly value lesbian experienceResearch limitations/implicationsThis small study does not include the voices of black or gay male officers. It also does not explore the experience of bisexuality.Practical implicationsThe finding of this research can be used to support development of good supervisory practice.Social implicationsThe paper sheds light on day to day interactions that “silence” experience of sexual orientation.Originality/valueThe paper draws on original research interrogating both lesbian and straight experience. In so doing it sheds light on both discursive practices of a sexual agenda and practice issues in supervision.

Assessing the Cost of Cuts in Welfare Spending for Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual People

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Gender, the Body and Organization Studies: Que(e)rying Empirical Research

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A Teoria Queer e os Estudos Organizacionais: Revisando Conceitos sobre Identidade

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