I have a question...
... and I want your response on it. Let me set the scene:
I am a gay man. I work for a company that may, or may not, like homosexuals. I don't think they have ever come out and said "All Butt-Pirates Must Die", or anything like that, but they tend to be on the conservative side. Any-who, I work for the company because they sign a paycheck for me. They asked me to do a job, and I have no problem doing that job. I don't say anything that I don't agree with, and I don't do anything that I don't want to do, either.
You don't like the company I work for.
Is it okay for you to tell everyone that I am a gay man and cause me to (possibly) lose my job?
Please, pontifitype in the comments.
UPDATE: Sorry kids, I should have been more specific. This "question" is not, I repeat, NOT about me. Although I am not currently "out" at work, it's only because no one has asked me. I've been on my job for a year, but the subject -as the case should be- hasn't come up. I have been "out" at my last four jobs, with no qualms about it.
Thanks for the responses so far, keep 'em coming.
P.S. re: 'pontifitype'. I made it up, LOL!!
I am a gay man. I work for a company that may, or may not, like homosexuals. I don't think they have ever come out and said "All Butt-Pirates Must Die", or anything like that, but they tend to be on the conservative side. Any-who, I work for the company because they sign a paycheck for me. They asked me to do a job, and I have no problem doing that job. I don't say anything that I don't agree with, and I don't do anything that I don't want to do, either.
You don't like the company I work for.
Is it okay for you to tell everyone that I am a gay man and cause me to (possibly) lose my job?
Please, pontifitype in the comments.
UPDATE: Sorry kids, I should have been more specific. This "question" is not, I repeat, NOT about me. Although I am not currently "out" at work, it's only because no one has asked me. I've been on my job for a year, but the subject -as the case should be- hasn't come up. I have been "out" at my last four jobs, with no qualms about it.
Thanks for the responses so far, keep 'em coming.
P.S. re: 'pontifitype'. I made it up, LOL!!
posted by Mike at 10/23/2005 12:50:00 PM
4 Comments:
No - it is FINE if you make that choice, but for someone else to make that choice for you, to "out" you when you are an adult capable of making your own decisions is totally unacceptable to me. And you would have every right to do what ever you wanted to to me - legally, physically or any other way...
NO! If the company is working against gay rights and you are just an employee, ABSOLUTELY NOT!
If, on the other hand, you were not a regular employee, if you were an officer, or director, or were a public spokesperson for the company, that would be another story.
But just a guy bringing home a pay check? ABSOLUTELY NOT!
Why do you ask?
Word of the day: Pontifitype
*headscratch* I really wish that I had a larger vocabulary :D
Hey Mikell, Very good question. I think that the real question is: do you have enough money, resources, skills to find another job to keep your life comfortable? IF you can take the risk of loosing your job, then the answer is yes. If you're skills and economy in your area appear as though you will not be able to get a new job, then I belive the answer is No.
If yes, you could try something simple, like a picture, a HRC equals sticker, a rainbow flag ...
If you're out to push buttons, then direct conversations with the expectations of "shock value" may be in order.
But I have been fired for being 'gay' -- twice. The personal experience is far worse when you are sitting at home, broke, no resources, and reminded that you were fired for reasons other than your performance - it can really f*ck with your head.
Most employers will take legal manuvers to terminate your employment. For example, if you smoke pot, you'll be drug tested ("Randomly" of course), or your schedule will change and you'll be micromanaged to a fault. So managers will give you all of the crap projects, disintegrating your skill set so that you have no options if you leave the company. You may not be fired, but overlooked for promotions, not given new projects, not be the first name to come to mind to 'climb the corporate ladder'.
You should be honest. You should be able to pursue happiness in the land of the free. But this is America - the land where money talks. Bottom line, whether your straight or gay, if you do not produce results, you will be replaced.
I have an HRC Equality sticker at my desk. Everyone knows HRC. Everyone knows the Equality sticker. Everyone knows that I am "G-A-Y" However, there are two women in my office that are still trying to set me up on dates with women. ... Some people do choose to live in their own worlds ... and that can be okay too.
G-Luck!
IMHO it's not mine or anyone else place to out anyone regardless of the place of work. This whole outing thing conjures up a witch hunt to me. The sooner people stop worrying about what the next consenting adult does in the bedroom and starts worrying about their own damn lives the better.
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