Page 213 - Discrimination at Work The Psychological and Organizational Bases

RAGINS AND WIETHOFF
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children come out to their families. Similarly, close friends can be alien­
ated or lost during the coming out process. Supportive relationships in
the workplace may also be disrupted; gay and lesbian employees who
disclose at work may lose mentors, role models, and important peer re­
lationships. Similarly, gay and lesbian employees who hide their sexual
identity may need to keep a social distance that precludes the develop­
ment of supportive work relationships. Finally, unlike that of other racial
and ethnic groups, gay history is rarely taught in school and is not passed
on through family traditions, thus limiting the sense of gay pride and
community. Consequently, many lesbian and gay employees face isola­
tion and limited support for their sexual identity both in and out of the
workplace.
Compounding the lack of support for gays' and lesbians' sexual iden­
tities are the negative reactions they may receive from coworkers. As pre­
viously noted, the invisibility of sexual orientation fuels the paranoia of
homophobia and has no parallel in race or gender. In addition, the invis­
ibility of sexual orientation amplifies "courtesy stigmas" (Goffman, 1963;
Herek & Capitanio, 1996). Heterosexuals may avoid associating with gay
and lesbian coworkers because they fear that they will be perceived as
being gay if they simply extend the "courtesy" of socializing with gay col­
leagues. This outcome of stigma does not occur on the basis of gender and
rarely on the basis of race. In summary, these processes create a unique
sense of isolation among gay and lesbian employees.
Understanding the unique challenges faced by lesbians and gay men
at work is a prerequisite for appreciating the reasons for prejudice toward
them. In the next section, we first provide an overview of the extent of
sexual orientation discrimination. We then explore the antecedents and
consequences of heterosexism in the workplace.

THE NATURE AND CONSEQUENCES OF HETEROSEXISM
IN THE WORKPLACE

Extent of Discrimination and Societal Sanctions

Heterosexism, and the discrimination it engenders, is well documented
in the United States. Survey research indicates that nine out of ten gay
men and lesbians have faced verbal abuse or threats, and more than one
in five have been physically assaulted because of their sexual orientation
(Elliott, 2000). In fact, gays and lesbians are more likely to be victims of
hate crimes in the United States than are members of many other social
groups (Nelson & Krieger, 1997). Some of the stigma that continues to be