Workplace Challenges
Homosexuality and the workplaceHaving a gay old timeDespite the decline in homophobia, a good number of gay and lesbian workers are still hesitant to wear their heart on their sleeve in the workplace. But could there be an advantage in doing so? By Geneviève Dubé |
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 [ 2007-08-02 ] |
© 2007 Jupiterimages Corporation
Every so often, fashion salesman Maxime Longpré sends his heterosexual colleagues reeling with the things he gets away with. “Women trying on clothes are totally comfortable with me helping them. I can even tuck away drooping brastaps!” The secret to winning their confidence so easily? He’s overtly gay.
Pascal Lépine is another who uses his sexuality to his advantage. As president of the Quebec Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (CCGQ), he’s quick to say that in the business world, being gay is ideal. “I consider it a blessing. Women trust me, while men don’t see me as real competition.”
In the workplace, people often talk about the merits of their homosexual co-workers who are “sweeties” or who “understand women so much better” than their heterosexual counterparts. These sweeping generalizations may seem demeaning at first, but some gays learn to turn these positive stereotypes into secret weapons.
“In artistic fields like hairdressing or fashion, the assumption that homosexuals are more creative, have better taste and are more avant-garde can constitute a definite advantage,” explains Line Chamberland, a sociologist and associate professor at the Women’s Studies and Research Institute at the Montreal campus of the University of Quebec (UQAM) and director of the Homosexuality and the Workplace research group.
A matter of perception
The fact that we often attribute kindness, understanding and sensitivity to gay men can help promote positive working relationships. “Staff members who come see me in my office are more inclined to confide in me because I am less threatening than heterosexual men. For example, women feel that I understand their problems better and open up because they know I won’t judge them,” says Donald Picotte, a human resources manager.
Whereas gays are often credited for having so-called feminine qualities, lesbians are usually thought of as more virile, especially if they work in a typically male-dominated field. “Lesbian police officers tell me that their male colleagues believe they are stronger and more capable than straight women on the force. Not only that, but they are considered to be ‘one of the guys’,” says Michèle Fournier, a criminologist who wrote her doctoral thesis on the experiences of homosexuals in the police force and army in Quebec.
Mélanie Fortier, a human resources administrator, explains that being perceived as less emotional than the other women in her office gives her a definite edge. “Both male and female employees make friendly jokes about my sexual orientation. They know it doesn’t bother me. In fact, I think these jokes have helped me integrate into the team.”
And just as women often have gay friends, men sometimes find they can relate well to their lesbian co-workers. “Guys I work with come talk to me about pretty girls…and hockey!” says Helen (not her real name), a television researcher. “And they don’t try to flirt with me.”
A different point of view
Most of the people we interviewed believe that the qualities found among gays and lesbians are probably a result of the discrimination they’ve had to deal with over the course of their lives and the challenges they’ve had to face to reach their goals.
Among such qualities is the need to be accepted by peers at work, which is often stronger among gays. “HR managers at major companies in Quebec have noted that homosexual employees look to establish connections with others and to become a part of the team. Their involvement makes interpersonal relationships more pleasant, and the whole team benefits from it. For example, gays like to arrange office lunches and are eager to please,” says Pascal Lépine from the CCGQ. Sociologist Line Chamberland has noticed that gays and lesbians have a special talent for reading others.
“They are constantly gauging the reactions and attitudes of their colleagues so that they can read between the lines and connect with people who are more open.” Francis Lagacé, a teacher of French language and literature at UQAM, also credits homosexuals with having better social skills. “We pay close attention to behaviour and non-verbal communication to assess a person’s degree of openness. That way we can steer clear of homophobic co-workers,” he explains.
This tendency to conform and adjust based on the reactions of colleagues means gays and lesbians are generally very adept at adapting to change. And often, they even instigate it! “Bosses notice that gays are more apt to question the status quo or share their opinions. They like to shake things up,” says Pascal Lépine.
After having tried to predict how their coming out would affect the different areas of their lives, gays and lesbians often become pros in telling the future. “It becomes easy for them to anticipate the repercussions of professional decisions over the short, medium and long term,” claims Steve Foster, president of the Quebec Council of Gays and Lesbians, an organization that promotes equality for homosexuals in society and the law.
Their personal experience as a homosexual can also prove to be an asset on the job. In fact, community social worker Jean-Marc Rivest finds that his sexual orientation helps him in his work with teens. “When I’m up-front about my orientation during group sessions, gay youth find it easier to open up because they know that I understand where they’re coming from. It also helps me raise the group’s awareness about discrimination and prejudices.”
For his part, teacher Francis Lagacé makes the most of his influential role to educate students about the fact that gays and lesbians are protected by the Charter of Rights and that homosexuality is normal. “I incorporate newspaper articles and novels that discuss homosexuality in my courses. Gay students from small towns and rural areas sometimes ask me for advice on how to come out to their friends, family and co-workers.”
Happy bosses?
While homoparentality and multiparenting are on the rise, the fact remains that gays and lesbians are less likely to become parents than heterosexuals. Fewer children translates into more time for their careers. “Since they have fewer family obligations, they are more available and more mobile for business trips,” states
Adam Mongodin, CEO of G-Force, an organisation that promotes diversity at work. Pascal Lépine shares this opinion. “With less time reserved for family, they invest more in their work and tend to be proud of the company that employs them.”
Having homosexual staff can prove that your company is an open and tolerant organization.
Some companies make a point of recruiting homosexual workers to better meet the needs of their gay clientele. “For example, a travel agency may want to hire a gay or lesbian to take on their homosexual clients. In cases like that, the company will advertise in the gay media,” explains Christian Martel, the COO at G-Force.
In fact, the benefits to employers are many. Firstly, “having homosexual staff can prove that your company is an open and tolerant organization,” says Jacques Tricot, head of the Gay and Lesbian Committee at the Confederation of National Trade Unions’ Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain. “This improves the company image in the eyes of clients as well as employees, who may even see it as more hip.” Christian Martel adds, “The gay community has definite buying power, so businesses are interested in showing how open-minded they are so they don’t lose these clients.”
To be clear, we can’t go so far as to say that being gay is an overall advantage in the workplace, since prejudices and homophobia still persist. In fact, 25% of the men and 35% of the women that Line Chamberland’s research group interviewed choose not to disclose their sexuality at work. As for those who do, most wait until they’ve had time to suss out the work environment and befriend their colleagues.
“Coming out at a job interview is very risky, unless you are applying at a gym in the [gay] village!” says Line Chamberland. Generally, it is wise to wait a while before showing your true colours…
Do you have you a bad boss?